When I was 18, my mom drove my younger sister and me to Kansas City in our family Suburban for American Idol open auditions. I sang “Mercy” by Duffy for a panel of barely interested producers. (I later learned it was a pretty popular audition song.) My sister sang the song “Plain” by contemporary Christian girl-group Zoegirl.
At the time, American Idol was in its eighth season, and it was the singular singing competition in the burgeoning world of American reality television. Millions of viewers tuned in every week to watch cringeworthy auditions, showstopping virtuoso performances, and of course, Simon Cowell’s unfiltered cruelty.
The show is now in its 23rd season, and it’s been getting a lot of attention from Christians this year. There have been viral videos of spontaneous worship sessions. A performance of Brandon Lake’s worship song “Gratitude” drew attention online when Idol artist-in-residence Jelly Roll called the songwriter over FaceTime so he could compliment the singers. Carrie Underwood, the newest judge on the panel, has made Christian music a part of her brand—she released a Southern gospel album in 2021 and regularly performed the hymn “How Great Thou Art” as part of her Vegas residency set.
Earlier this year, when Idol announced that it would be airing a three-hour “Songs of Faith” special on Easter Sunday, some celebrated the move as a sign of a major sea change in the entertainment industry.
“Pop culture is experiencing a spiritual revival, and it’s hard to deny: Jesus is back at the forefront of mainstream entertainment,” wrote Logan Sekulow of CCM Magazine, citing the popularity of the show The Chosen and the faith-based film The King of Kings as corroborative examples.
“There’s a clear appetite for faith-driven content,” wrote Sekulow. “But perhaps nowhere is this revival more evident than on the American Idol stage.”
One viral Instagram post remarked that “A lot has changed in the last year. … ABC is straight up having a Christian concert on national television.” Another celebrated: “American Idol had a three-hour worship service last night that was streamed nationwide. You can’t make this stuff up. America is in revival! 🔥”
Some of these viewers may be interpreting “Songs of Faith” in light of national politics. The Trump administration has promised to “eradicate anti-Christian bias” and “bring back religion” in the US; evangelical leaders and outlets have said that the president is committed to defending Christianity. Social media posts also show worship services at the White House.
But reading the American Idol takes, I wondered how many people posting in praise of the special actually watched the whole thing.
“Songs of Faith” showcased songs this season’s contestants find personally meaningful—but only about half the selections were explicitly religious. Josh King delivered a heartfelt cover of Joe Cocker’s “You Are So Beautiful,” dedicated to his mother. Amanda Barise sang Alicia Keys’s “If I Ain’t Got You,” and Olivier Bergeron performed Rihanna’s “Stay.” Simon & Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water” made an appearance, as did “Soulshine” by the Allman Brothers Band and “Silver Springs” by Fleetwood Mac. Desmond Rogers high-fived the crowd from the stage as he performed Jon Batiste’s “Worship,” which is not a religious song but a tribute to the formative power of family and community.
There were religious songs too. Thunderstorm Artis, acoustic guitar in hand, sang Cory Asbury’s worship hit “Reckless Love.” American Idol judge and country artist Luke Bryan said the performance felt like a “big Christian rock concert.” After delivering her rendition of Coldplay’s “Yellow,” contestant Drew Ryn told the judges she had chosen the song because it “sounded like a conversation with the Lord.”
During his introduction, host Ryan Seacrest welcomed viewers to the “place where stars always rise,” with “Happy Easter” splashed on the giant screens behind him; he referred to the show as a “night of praise.” After a stirring performance of “Amazing Grace,” R & B legend and American Idol judge Lionel Richie offered a quip: “Who knew that for this Easter celebration we were going to create the church of American Idol?”
Contestant performances alternated with cameos by the judges and special guests like The Brown Four, a quartet of four children whose tight harmonies and virtuosic gospel singing went viral last year. Luke Bryan sang “Jesus ’Bout My Kids,” a song about praying for his children as they grow older. Jelly Roll and guest Brandon Lake belted and growled their new single “Hard Fought Hallelujah.” Gospel legend CeCe Winans made a repeat appearance (she performed the song “Goodness of God” during last season’s finale) with former contestant Roman Collins, singing “Come Jesus Come.”
Carrie Underwood, draped in a gauzy white gown and flanked by background singers in front of projections of swirling clouds and sunlight breaking through, closed the night with “How Great Thou Art.” Gold confetti fell onto the stage and crowd at the end (gold dust adjacent, perhaps?).
Was “Songs of Faith” a “night of praise”? Not really. But that’s a good thing. A night of required expressions of faith from singers vying for a pop music career wouldn’t be something to celebrate. (Tabloids reported that the show’s crew was divided over the special’s overt religiosity.)
While it might be fun to hear familiar worship songs on network TV, “Songs of Faith” is best understood as another case study in the influence of Christianity on American music—not as a sign of religious revival.
What Our Reaction to Revival Reveals About Us
As a child of the ’90s, I’ve seen multiple iterations of evangelical hype around Christian crossover artists and artworks. I remember the excitement around Amy Grant, the contemporary Christian music star who seemed to have the talent and likeability to make Christian music cool to mainstream listeners. In 1998, The Prince of Egypt grossed $218.6 million worldwide. Was it a sign that audiences were hungry for more faith-based films? After Rick Warren’s book The Purpose Driven Life was published by Zondervan in 2002, it remained on the New York Times bestseller list for almost two years. Warren landed appearances on Oprah Winfrey’s talk show. Was that a sign that widespread spiritual awakening was coming?
I’m skeptical of seeing pop culture as either a bellwether or a lagging indicator of spiritual health. I say this as someone who takes the study of popular culture and media very seriously. We can learn a lot about the world around us by looking closely at the entertainment we engage with and consume.
Performances of Hillsong’s “Oceans” on cable may not reliably tell us anything about the religious fervor of American audiences. But they do remind us that the American church is a powerful influence in American musical life.
Some of the most recognizable and influential voices in America’s musical landscape were molded by years of singing gospel music, hymnody, and contemporary worship music. Aretha Franklin, Elvis Presley, Beyoncé, and Justin Timberlake all started developing their voices in church. In the American music industry, the boundary between secular and sacred is almost nonexistent, and musicians outside the Christian niche borrow language, repertoire, and style from church music.
It follows that Christian music has made appearances on American Idol for years. Season 5 contestant Mandisa performed the song “Shackles.” Season 8 contestant Chris Sligh sang DC Talk’s “Wanna Be Loved.” During season 7, the top six contestants performed the worship megahit “Shout to the Lord” by Hillsong worship leader Darlene Zschech. (The performance drew criticism because the lyrics were later changed from “my Jesus, my Savior” to “my shepherd, my savior.”)
And American Idol isn’t the only network reality show that frequently features Christian music. During season 15 of NBC’s singing competition, The Voice, singers performed “Oceans,” Tasha Cobbs’s “Break Every Chain,” and MercyMe’s “I Can Only Imagine.” Multiple worship leaders have made it past the show’s blind auditions, foregrounding their faith in their biographies.
“Songs of Faith” isn’t the anomaly some online cheerleaders have made it out to be. It’s another example of the entertainment industry’s recognition that there’s a market for Christian music. Many of the country’s best musicians get their start singing in church; gospel in particular is an ideal genre for gifted vocalists to showcase their agility, power, and emotive sensibilities. Over the past five years or so, a new crop of Christian artists has proven that faith-based music is continuing to attract young listeners. The larger industry is paying attention to these trends.
But recognizing that something is profitable or marketable is not the same thing as recognizing that it is good, beautiful, or true. Use is not necessarily synonymous with respect. Media that positively portrays Christian faith has always coexisted with media that pokes at it, subverts it, or glorifies value systems that are antithetical to the example of Christ. The pornography industry isn’t losing any steam; sports gambling is growing fast. The entertainment industry simultaneously feeds appetites for feel-good, inspirational programming and addiction-stoking content.
Put simply, it’s unwise to interpret public acknowledgements of Christian holidays as indicators of revival. (Think of Christmas!)
So is there any reason to celebrate that American Idol seems to be featuring Christian music more, or more reverently, than usual? Perhaps. If you, as a viewer, feel seen, affirmed, or encouraged by “Songs of Faith” or by hearing a worship song you know and love on a show like The Voice, that’s understandable. Isn’t that just a version of “representation matters”?
Let the Cultural Christians Come unto Jesus
In a pluralistic country, seeing Christianity treated with respect in our media feels good. It makes us feel that we belong, that we have a place, and that those outside our in-group see something winsome in our beliefs and practices. I tend to think that panic about anti-Christian bias in media is overblown. (After all, it’s more often the prudishness or hypocrisy of flawed Christians than something like the doctrine of the Holy Spirit that’s the butt of jokes.) But I can also understand the relief that comes from seeing our faith elevated rather than sent up.
Two things are true: Many of America’s most celebrated vocalists honed their craft in church, and American Idol is, above all else, a singing competition. Network executives know that the show simply will not capture the broadest-possible audience by emphasizing religion too much. But they also know that 62 percent of American adults identify as Christians. In the case of the “Songs of Faith” special, they made the calculation that a broadly spiritual acknowledgement of Easter couldn’t hurt and, at best, might draw new viewers.
The healthiest Christian response to pop culture moments like this one is to enjoy them—if that’s the kind of thing you enjoy. No revival prognostications necessary.
Kelsey Kramer McGinnis is the worship correspondent for Christianity Today.
