The Major Sacrifice John Foster’s Sister Made To Support His American Idol Dreams

Season 23 of American Idol may have ended with Jamal Roberts taking the crown, but fans are still buzzing — not just about his momentous win, but also standout runner-up John Foster.

The Addis, Louisiana native captured hearts with his powerful country vocals and heartfelt songwriting, including his emotional original, "Tell That Angel I Love Her," written in tribute to a late friend. Since Idol, he's continued to rise, performing twice at the Grand Ole Opry, a milestone achievement for an aspiring country artist.

But, John's success post American Idol could not have happened without the support of his family, including his sister, Elizabeth, who did something major just so she could be with him each week on the show.

American Idol Runner-Up John Foster's Sister Postponed Her Wedding To Support His Music Journey

John Foster may not have taken home the American Idol title, but he was undeniably one of the season's standout stars. Week after week, he showcased his strong vocals and stayed true to his country roots, choosing country songs whenever he had the chance and even singing his own songs.

Throughout his Idol journey, John received huge support from his family and friends. In fact, even his girlfriend was shown cheering him on in the audience. In a recent interview with his mother, Amanda Benoit, for the Unfiltered with Kiran podcast, she dished about how their family put everything aside to support John in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

John Foster Facts
Birthday: July 9, 2006
Hometown: Addis, Louisiana
John's real last name is Benoit, but he decided to drop it because it didn't sound right for a country star.

Amanda shared on the podcast that John's sister, Elizabeth, made the ultimate sacrifice by postponing her wedding as John continued to impress the judges and continued to secure enough votes to make it through each week. In fact, Elizabeth also made sure to be in the audience to watch John and root for him.

“She’s been his number one cheerleader besides me. They’re just two and a half years apart and incredibly close. She’s like a second mom sometimes—always in his corner, telling him, ‘You can do this,'" Amanda said.

John Foster Auditioned For American Idol Twice Before Season 23

During Amanda's conversation on the podcast, she revealed that her son, John, had tried out for American Idol in 2021, during the height of the COVD-19 pandemic, which meant that he had to audition virtually. Unfortunately, producers didn't think he was ready.

"He didn’t make it past the open call that first time. But I’ll never forget how excited I was. I left work early that day. We had everything set up, and my heart was pounding. I just had so much faith in him—even when he didn’t quite believe in himself yet," Amanda shared.

American Idol Season 23 top 3 finalists	Age	Hometown	Placed
Jamal Robert	27	Meridian, Mississippi	Winner
John Foster	18	Addis, Louisiana	Runner-Up
Breanna Nix	25	Denton, Texas	Third Place

John didn't give up hope and decided to audition again the following year, making it through the first round. Again, John would not make it to see the judges. However, his mom shared that her son needed to find that confidence within himself so that he could prove he had what it took to become a superstar. It wasn't until he was selling out local shows that he decided to try Idol again.

John tried out for the 23rd season of American Idol and made it through to auditions in front of judges Lionel Richie, Luke Bryan, and Carrie Underwood. But, Luke remained unconvinced by John's ability, having him sing another country tune that showcased his vocal range, which eventually led all three judges to give him a golden ticket to Hollywood.

John made it all the way to the Season 23 finale alongside Jamal Roberts and Breanna Nix, a talented singer from Denton, Texas. It was a fierce competition, with all three finalists proving they had what it took to win. In the end, America voted Breanna into third place, John as the runner-up, and crowned Jamal as the Season 23 champion.

John Touched Fans With His Original Tune "Tell That Angel I Love Her"

During the "Songs of Faith" Easter special, John took a chance and sang an original song called "Tell That Angel I Love Her." It was a risky move but it proved to be a hit with the judges and fans alike. It was later revealed that John wrote the song in tribute to his close friend, Maggie Dunn, and Caroline Gill, who were both tragically killed by a drunk driver on New Year's Eve in 2022.

John sang the song again during the Idol finale and it would become his debut single. While he was backstage, he shared that writing the song helped him realize that he should pursue a career in music. "We were juniors in high school, and it was the first time I ever really lost somebody. I wasn’t really locked into music at that point — I was playing around with writing songs, and I was doing gigs — and so, when I lost Maggie, I was like, ‘OK, I need to write a song about this.'"

He continued, "That day, that was the defining moment. It wasn’t the very first song [I ever wrote], but it was just my first song with a big punch to it, where I actually knew, ‘OK, this is something I need to pursue.’ That song was like, ‘OK, I need to be a musician.'"

During his mom's appearance on Unfiltered with Kiran, she too, believed that Maggie was a huge inspiration to her son.

"I think Maggie knew his potential before John Foster even did. She believed in him and pushed him to go after this dream. She was his person. After she died, music became his therapy," she shared, adding, "Every word of that song—she was there."

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American Idol is set to return for Season 24 in 2026.