The Missouri singer secured the win with two original songs and a bluegrass reinterpretation of an Alicia Keys hit.
The 24th season of American Idol ended Sunday with a three-hour finale that narrowed the competition to Jordan McCullough, Keyla Richardson, and Hannah Harper. Harper, a Missouri native, came out on top.
Alicia Keys joined as guest mentor for the first round. Harper performed a bluegrass version of Keys’ “No One,” a choice that set her apart from the more conventional pop leanings of the other finalists. For the second round, Harper sang “Married Into This Town,” an original song she wrote. She closed with “String Cheese,” the self-penned track she first brought to her audition, reprised on the show’s biggest stage.
The victory marks a return of original songwriting to the forefront of the long-running competition. Harper’s win signals a contestant with a distinct musical identity, rooted in acoustic traditions and personal storytelling, rather than a pure vocal showcase.
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