American Idol 2023 runner-up Megan Danielle – Every performance ranked
What do you get when you combine Crystal Bowersox’s vibe with Allison Iraheta’s rasp and Reba McEntire’s twang? This year’s runner-up on American Idol, that’s what!
When Season 21 came down to Megan Danielle and Iam Tongi, Danielle took home the second place title after a season’s worth of memorable performances. Danielle’s natural progression on the show as a singer and performer is almost consistent as we look back and rank each performance from worst to best.
American Idol 2023 Winner Iam Tongi – Every Performance Ranked
The Voice 23 Winner Gina Miles – Every Performance Ranked
13. “You Say” by Lauren Daigle – Audition
It was a pretty unforgettable moment during this season’s auditions when Lauren Daigle crashed the audition of Danielle as she lent her voice to Daigle’s biggest hit “You Say.”
While it was just good enough to score that golden ticket, Danielle did indeed fall short (see what I did there?) with this one. But her audition landing in last place only means her performances went up from here!
12. “The Chain” by Fleetwood Mac – Top 26
It was a pretty memorable 21st birthday for Danielle, who spent it in Hawaii belting out Fleetwood Mac before claiming a spot in the Top 20.
Despite definitely being up her alley, a song that allowed the singer to offer both her signature rasp and her very high high notes, it didn’t compare to some of the performances that were to come from the runner-up-to-be.
11. “Angel From Montgomery” by Bonnie Raitt – Top 12
Pretty song, and Danielle naturally includes her beautiful twang, but this one just has a little too much rasp for my liking.
Something Danielle did consistently in her performances was start out a little rough, but end it stronger than you’d ever expect, which is exactly what she did with this performance. It was also one of the few times she showed off her gorgeous falsetto at the end.
10. “Head Over Feet” by Alanis Morissette – Top 8
Something about this performance felt like it got away from Danielle in the beginning, almost like her notes were off compared to the singers backing her up.
She certainly brought it back in the second half though, letting her twang nail those high notes and finishing with those beautiful “ooo”s.
9. “Carried Me With You” from Onward – Top 5
As a Pixar aficionado, I absolutely love how many Pixar songs were performed on Disney Night. This performance in particular gave me major Maddie Poppe vibes.
It perfectly combines Danielle’s country side with her inspirational folk-pop side, and was a great fit for her unique voice.
8. “Faithfully” by Journey – Finale
This is one of those songs that’s so good and so classic, it will almost always be a hit or miss when it’s covered.
In Danielle’s case, I’d call it a miss. It’s not bad, it just doesn’t compliment her voice, especially as one of her finale songs. She killed that ending though, which is the only reason I placed this higher than the Onward song.
7. “Holy Water” by We the Kingdom – Top 20
Danielle really nails the country Christian songs, and when they have a little bit of edge to show off her rasp, it becomes right in her wheelhouse.
This one really shows off the way she can go from a lower rasp to a higher register instantly – almost effortlessly – from lyric to lyric.
6. “God Whispered Your Name” by Keith Urban – Finale
That. Dress. I’d love to rank this gal’s outfits next, she looked absolutely gorgeous each week! Song-wise, this is another one that really captures both her style and her message.
This is what I call a finale performance; flawless notes, a song that screams Megan Danielle, and letting the journey come to an end by having fun.
5. “Always Remember Us This Way” by Lady Gaga – Showstopper
It definitely doesn’t start out as a showstopper – being one of those moments her rasp gets the better of her – but Danielle absolutely kills that bridge.
Those higher notes are my personal favorite from her, and are undoubtedly the reason she beat fan-favorite Paige Ann in this sing-off.
4. “Dream Girl” by Megan Danielle – Finale
Being her debut single, of course this performance lands high on the list. It’s exactly what you’d expect from an I-might-win-American-Idol song, but amplified by country.
As always, she absolutely kills the ending with those high notes, and even her rasp is perfectly highlighted throughout this one.
3. “Up To The Mountain” by Patty Griffin – Hollywood Week
So, I debated putting this lower on the list, because it’s not Danielle’s best by far. “Dream Girl” and even “Always Remember Us This Way” are more soothing on the ears at first listen.
But the reason this performance comes in 3rd place is because Danielle shines throughout it. Whether it’s her naturally raspy tone, that unexpected and beautiful falsetto moment, or the amount of emotion that builds up as she sings about her late grandfather, it’s a moment in her Idol journey that can’t be forgotten.
2. “You Can’t Stop The Girl” by Bebe Rexha – Top 5
Another gorgeous look, this time to match a gorgeous performance. There’s not a note out of place during this Disney Night standout.
Show many powerful high notes in this one that are then paired with Danielle’s deeper tone that really captures the current demand for female empowerment.
1. “Go Rest High On That Mountain” by Vince Gill – Top 10
Minus that almost-invisible off note at the beginning, this performance is gorgeous in every possible way. It really showcases the kinds of notes Danielle is capable of.
As always, she slayed the ending with several lovely-on-the-ears notes, and this performance really showed the kind of country singer she’s going to become.
