American 2023 Top 20: Megan Danielle Proclaims Her Faith with “Holy Water”
American Idol Season 21 made a decent size cut going from 26 to 20 on a 3-hour show on Sunday night. (Read our Recap).
The episode was a decent night of talent, but with the caliber of vocalists on American Idol this season, the performances will only get better. One singer who is truly blossoming is former The Voice competitor and Christian singer, Megan Danielle.
In Megan’s pre-performance package she shared her lack of confidence throughout her life. Her parents got a divorce at the age of 7, and she and her siblings watched their dad walk out of the house. She said it made her feel “worthless.” Megan went on to say, “since my dad left, it’s been a lifelong struggle to believe in me and to believe that I am good enough.” American Idol has allowed her to gain confidence round after round.
Megan sings Christian song, “Holy Water” by We The Kingdom. Her style is a mix of soulful Christian/Gospel and southern rock as her tone is full of rasp and twang, which truly comes alive in this performance. She brings some cool adlibbing that we haven’t seen from her since she sang “Up To The Mountain” in Hollywood week. This is all topped off with soaring vocals on several high notes. Megan doesn’t miss a beat and seems vastly more confident than her previous efforts. The Top 20 was a huge step up from Hawaii where my notes said “one of the best vocalists, but greatly lacks confidence and stage presence.”
“There’s a confidence that has settled in”
All three judges stand as she finishes the song. Luke notes it’s her best performance of the season, saying, “nobody sounds anything like you. You are in your lane, and you can tell your stories with your voice.” Lionel calls it a “sold-out performance” due to its believability. Katy says it’s her best too, saying, “there’s a confidence that has settled in.”
Megan does not strike me as a bona fide superstar, but she could find herself successful in a more niche market much like American Idol Christian Contemporary alums, Colton Dixon and Mandisa have found. Her voice suits the genre well, and it’s nice that Idol has allowed her to use her creative freedoms to showcase herself as a Christian artist compared to her time on The Voice Season 18 where she didn’t sing any Christian songs. It’ll be interesting to see if she continues to navigate the competition as she has, with her mixing both secular and Christian music in. With theme weeks, she most likely will mix the songs, but it appears that Megan shines the brightest when singing Christian Contemporary music.
The Top 12 Revealed
I expect Megan to soar through to the top 12 on Monday night’s show as she wowed on Sunday. Other performances that are deserving of the same praise are Wé Ani’s closing powerhouse vocal of “Skyfall” and Kaeyra’s compelling cover of “Bruises” Honorable mentions go to Hannah Nicolaisen who challenged herself with Queen’s “Somebody to Love,” Warren Peay who remains consistent, and Tyson Venegas and Marybeth Byrd who showcased their writing talents on original music.
On Monday (April 24) American Idol reveals the top 12 on its first LIVE show. America will choose the top 10 vote getters, and the judges will save two wildcard acts.
