Slater Nalley may not have been in the final three on American Idol finale night, but he absolutely stole the show with one unforgettable moment.
The Season 23 finale came down to John Foster, Breanna Nix, and Jamal Roberts—with Jamal ultimately being crowned the winner after what host Ryan Seacrest called “the biggest finale vote in ABC Idol history.” But it was Slater, who made it to the Top 5, that had one of the most talked-about performances of the night.
As part of the star-studded evening filled with performances from Salt-N-Pepa, Jelly Roll, Patti LaBelle, and more, Slater returned to the stage for a duet with judge Carrie Underwood. The two performed her hit “I’m Gonna Love You,” originally a duet with Cody Johnson. Then came the surprise: Midway through the song, Carrie turned toward the back of the stage and said, “Ladies and gentlemen, please make welcome Cody Johnson!” That’s when the country star himself walked out—much to Slater’s shock.
Slater’s stunned reaction was priceless. After the performance, Ryan Seacrest pointed out how genuinely surprised he looked. Slater replied, “I’m such a big fan. I did his version of Reba’s song earlier in the show, so big fan.”
The moment was later posted on American Idol’s Instagram, where fans lit up the comments with praise. Slater chimed in with one word: “SHOCKED.” Others added, “Your reaction was incredible. What a performance!” and “The trio we didn’t know we needed!” One fan even declared it the “Best moment of the night.”
Slater may not have taken the Idol crown, but moments like this show he’s already on his way to something special. We can’t wait to see what’s next for him!
