Indio native Abi Carter has been crowned the winner of American Idol Season 22. The final episode aired on ABC on Sunday, May 19 at 5 p.m., and saw Carter triumph over fellow top-three contestants Will Moseley and Jack Blocker. Moseley and Blocker secured second and third place.
She performed songs from Bon Jovi’s “Bed of Roses,” “West Side Story,” “Somewhere,” and her original song “This isn’t over.” During the show, a video message appeared with Billie Eilish supporting the singer: “I’m so happy for you. It’s amazing to see you in the finale after you sang my song, “What Was I Made For?” in your audition,” Eilish continued, “I love you so much. I wish you the best and can’t wait to see what happens tonight. I’m here to support you forever.”
The episode also highlighted Abi Carter’s celebratory hometown visit to Indio. Her day included a stop at The Palm Springs Tramway, a warm welcome from enthusiastic children at George Washington Charter Elementary School in Palm Desert, and culminating in a parade and concert organized by the city.
During the festivities, Indio City Council member Elaine Holmes presented Abi Carter with the key to the city and named her mayor for the day. Carter also gave back to the community by donating $20,000 to “Tools for Tomorrow.” Thousands of fans lined the sidewalks to cheer for Carter as bands and cheer squads escorted her to Center Stage downtown for the concert.
“Coming back here feels like having an entire group of friends around me, wrapping their arms around me and loving me,” Carter said in the final episode. Abi also expressed her gratitude to her fans in an Instagram post celebrating her American Idol victory. “I couldn’t have imagined winning #americanidol when I started this journey. We haven’t had a girl winner in over four years, and to be the first after so many seasons is the greatest honor,” Carter wrote. She added, “I’m just a girl from Indio who used to sing on street corners, and now I’ve had the pleasure and privilege to work with some of the most talented people in the industry and be heard by millions. This is my dream, and I know it’s just the beginning. I love you all so much.”
The Coachella Valley community supported Abi and KESQ News Channel 3, which partnered with the Jackalope Ranch restaurant in Indio to host a viewing party for the final. The restaurant was filled with 1,000 attendees and City of Indio Council member Waymond Fermon joined in the fun with his appearance at the watch party, live streaming the event on Instagram. In the final moments of the show, when host Ryan Seacrest announced Carter’s name, the whole restaurant burst with excitement and was chanting her name.
Some fans shared a sweet message to Carter. Palm Desert resident Eva Christodulelis said, “Congratulations, Abi. You’ve made us all very proud, and you’re gonna be a huge star.” Cathedral City resident Yolanda Eatmon said, ” Girl, you worked hard and made it to the top. You made everyone proud.”
The City of Indio took to Instagram and posted, “OUR AMERICAN IDOL WINNER @abicartermusic!!! Thank you to everyone who took the time to vote for Abi each week and to our community for their support throughout this incredible journey! Congratulations to @abicartermusic!”
Abi also expressed love to her fans in an Instagram post over winning the competition. She wrote, “I couldn’t have imagined winning #americanidol when I started this whole journey. We haven’t had a girl winner in over four years, and to be the first after so many seasons is the greatest honor,” said Carter.
The singer’s next step is releasing more music. Carter has released two original songs, “It’s All Love” and “This Isn’t Over,” which you can stream on Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Music. To support her music career, you can follow the singer on Instagram @abicartermusic.
