"First childhood crush" - American Idol's John Foster reveals why he struggled to talk to Miranda Lambert

Miranda Lambert was the guest mentor on the latest episode of American Idol, on May 4, 2025. The episode featured performances from the Top 10 artists, as they moved ahead to the Top 8 category. The theme for the night was 'Iconic Women in Music.'

Having Miranda backstage was a huge deal to John Foster, however. It was because she was his childhood crush. John revealed that he felt nervous around her and had a hard time making eye contact.

Soon, they warmed up to each other's company and started talking about what John could do to make his performance better. He said about Miranda:

"I had a really hard time making eye contact with her because, you know, she was my first childhood crush, and I was too nervous."

Miranda advised him to put the guitar aside for a bit and not be afraid to interact with the crowd. This would showcase his ability as a good performer, while maintaining his spot as an excellent singer. Sharing her thoughts on what she felt about being the singer's first crush, Miranda said:

"Really? Good taste. John walked in with his cowboy hat and western shirt, and his guitar, and told me I was his first crush. I was like, OK, I love you."

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American Idol singer John Foster gets mentored by Miranda Lambert

On American Idol, Miranda said she was familiar with the song Something to Talk About and could often be found singing it. She said:

"It's also my go-to karaoke song, so I'm very familiar with it. I think Bonnie Raitt was perfect because it shows some personality and some sass."

Soon, Foster's performance started, and he wowed the judges yet again with his on-stage presence. Judge Luke Bryan called out some girls in the audience who were screaming during Foster's performance and said that he could no longer hear from his left ear because of how much they sdhouted while cheering him on. Lionel, too, interacted with an audience member who loved John's singing.

As for Carrie, she admired how much John had grown throughout his journey on American Idol. She said:

"I feel like you are the one that we have watched grow the most throughout this entire process. Every single time you step on stage, you feel more comfortable. You're working on the stage more, you're connecting with the audience more, and with the audience at home as well.

She added:

"I saw you looking in that camera. I love that! I just feel like you've grown so much. Keep leaning into that, keep getting loose. They love it, they love you."

John Foster has been a fan favorite this season on American Idol. He is an Addis native from Louisiana. Friends with Maggie Dunn, during one of his performances, John performed a song that he had written for her after she passed away.

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American Idol Season 23 episodes can be watched weekly on Sundays and Mondays at 8 p.m. Eastern Time on ABC. Later, the episodes are available to stream via Hulu.