A Judge’s Prophecy
Way back when Laine Hardy first auditioned for American Idol in 2018, judge Luke Bryan gave him a word of warning. He told the then 17-year-old singer to “be careful” or else he may just win the show.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Og8aezNneAU
Bryan’s words turned out to be prophetic, though that prophecy came true a year after he first said those words.
You see, even though the judges loved Hardy’s first audition and gave him a golden ticket to Hollywood, he didn’t stay on the show for long. He was eventually sent home to Louisiana due to a lack of confidence, and Maddie Poppe went on to win that season.
The Road To The Win
As you well know, Hardy’s Idol journey didn’t end there. He eventually returned to the show, though his only intention was to play guitar for his friend Ashton Gill when she auditioned.
But the judges convinced Hardy to sing as well, so he did. After he wrapped things up, he found himself face-to-face with Lionel Richie, who was trying to get him to take a golden ticket to Hollywood.
Hardy decided to take a chance and accepted the ticket. Little did he know that decision would forever change his life.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfFfHe5LQoA
From early on, Hardy was an established frontrunner in the competition. He made it clear that he now had the confidence needed to conquer the stage, and his voice also showed a greater sense of strength and style.
Week after week, Hardy worked his way through the competition until he suddenly found himself in the finale.
It’s time to crown our winner! THIS is the American Idol Finale! #AmericanIdol #IdolFinale pic.twitter.com/i6a46BoCvu
— American Idol (@AmericanIdol) May 20, 2019
Luke’s Prediction Comes True At Last
The finale pushed Hardy’s talents and energy to the limit, as he delivered multiple performances over the course of the night. Each and every one of those performances were crucial to pull off, since fans were voting live for the winner of the season.
Midway through the three-hour finale, it was announced that Madison VanDenburg was in third place. That left Hardy and Alejandro Aranda as the remaining contestants to vie for the show’s top title.
Finally, when it came time for host Ryan Seacrest to announce the season’s winner, it was Hardy’s name he shouted out as the new American Idol.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-1gg4x2FZg
In the moment, all Hardy had time to say was “I can’t believe it,” before he started singing his new song, “Flame.”
Once the show wrapped up, fans anxiously waited to hear the new Idol champ reflect on his big win on social media, but they had to wait for just a little while.
Laine Finally Reflects On His Win
Instead of taking to social media immediately after winning, Hardy spent the rest of the finale night offline. When he finally took time to reflect on his life-changing moment, it was the following morning (May 20).
In a post containing a photo from one of his finale night performances, Hardy took the time to thank the fans that made his Idol win possible. “Thank y’all so much. This is so crazy,” he wrote.
https://www.facebook.com/lainehardymusic/photos/a.160468434615795/339999679996002/?type=3&theater
Hardy also expressed how thankful he was for the opportunity to make new friends during his time on the show.
We’re sure to hear more from Hardy in the days that follow, but in the meantime, we hope he takes plenty of time to soak in his big win!
To see why America chose Hardy as its “Idol” for 2019, check out one of his finale night performances below. Bryan’s prediction that he’d win the show finally came true thanks to performances like it!