Just Sam, the American Idol 2020 winner, returned for Season 22 to perform Whitney Houston’s “One Moment in Time.”
The singer went viral last year after revealing that despite winning Season 18 of the ABC competition, she had to return to performing in the NYC subways.
Just Sam won the singing show amid the Covid lockdowns and performed from home. Her return to the show allowed her to sing on the Idol stage and in front of the judges once again.
“This is way better than an iPhone from home,” Just Sam said following her performance.
Host Ryan Seacrest tossed it to Katy Perry to say something to Just Sam, to which the pop star said, “I ain’t got notes.”
“But I will say is, you one hundred percent deserve that confetti,” Perry added. “It was long overdue and it looks so great on you. I’m just so proud of who you’ve become.”
Luke Bryan said, “I’m so glad you had your moment. It’s so nice to sit here and hear your voice again in this room. You go through everything it took, from home to get you to win American Idol, for you to have your moment in time, it was really, really special.”
Lionel Richie said he was “sitting here like a proud papa bear.”
“I’m so proud of you,” he continued. “I know the challenges that you’ve been through and you have charmed us all. The fact that you have now come back all grown up and solid as a rock, I can only say, God has his hands firmly on you.”