‘American Idol:’ Colin Stough Gives His Best Performance So Far With ‘Cars’ Cover [Watch]
Sunday night's episode of American Idol (May 14) was Disney themed! Each of the remaining Top 5 contestants were tasked with putting their own spin on popular Disney songs while earning votes live.
While "Disney" might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Colin Stough, the young hopeful quickly made it known that this theme night was right up his alley. He chose to sing a song from his favorite movie, Cars — a film he said he used to watch all the time while growing up, and still watches at least twice a month.
Stough chose to sing “Real Gone” because he connects to the lyrics — specifically, he’s drawn to one line in particular: "My mama taught me wrong from right."
The hopeful has made it known throughout the competition that he shares a special bond with his mom. Whether he’s yelling “I love my mom” from the stage or giving her thanks for pushing him to do the show, their love is undeniable.
Originally sung by Sheryl Crow, Stough took the stage to deliver his own rendition of “Real Gone.” Appearing in front of a car emblem playing clips from his favorite movie, he kicked off into a high energy and country-rock infused performance. Opting to leave the comfort of the microphone stand, the contestant moved around the stage and interacted with the audience.
The judges gave Stough a standing ovation and then offered up some feedback: Luke Bryan started things off, applauding him for finally feeling comfortable and poking a little fun that the judges had no idea a Cars song was all it took. Bryan wrapped things up by saying it was his favorite performance by Stough of the competition so far.
Judge Lionel Richie fully agreed and called it his favorite, as well. Both Richie and Katy Perry commended Stough for leaving the safety of the microphone standing and finding his confidence on stage.
When live voting results were announced, it was revealed that Stough will be advancing to the Top 3. The American Idol finale airs next Sunday (May 21) at 8PM ET on ABC.