Hannah Harper was named the winner of American Idol Season 24, and within minutes, social media split in two. Some people are celebrating her victory, while others are convinced Jordan McCullough got robbed and Keyla was eliminated unfairly.
“Jordan was robbed!!!!” read one Instagram comment.
Another: “There’s just no way that the best singer of the entire season just got robbed like that.”
A third simply called him “the most talented singer we’ve had on the show in years.”
The frustration wasn’t really about Hannah. Most fans who pushed back on the result said she was sweet and genuine.
They just felt the vote rewarded her story over Jordan’s voice.
The same is the case with Keyla, as her mother-son bond couldn’t capture the same level of attention as Hannah’s “raising 3 boys” narrative did.
“American Idol used to be about who had the best showmanship and strongest voices,” one viewer wrote. “Now it’s all about who has a bigger social media following.”
Luke Bryan had told Jordan during the season that he was “one of the best singers we’ve ever had” on the show. Carrie Underwood, after his finale performance of “Dear God,” jokingly asked if they could declare a three-way tie.
Jordan’s most praised performance.
Jordan’s story had its own weight. He was rejected by all four coaches on The Voice back in 2019 — Gwen Stefani had even turned to Kelly Clarkson mid-audition to say she thought he was good, but no chair turned.
Seven years later, he walked onto the Idol stage and opened with “Goodness of God,” getting a standing ovation.
He won one of only three Platinum Tickets of the season, voted on by his fellow contestants.
Backstage after the result, Jordan didn’t sound like someone who felt robbed. “It’s still blowing my mind,” he said.
“To me sometimes, even right now, I’m just thinking I’m the kid that walked in ready to audition for Luke, Lionel, and Carrie. And you’re telling me I was the runner-up of American Idol?
I’m waiting to wake up because that just can’t be the truth.”
He later posted on Instagram: “It may not be all that I hope for. And every dream has not been realized. And to see Your face one day, God I know it’s all gonna be worth it… so I thank you for my Life.”
Fans flooded the comments calling him the “GOAT.”
Jordan performs for the last time at Idol
In his post-show interview, Jordan said, “What we saw tonight was true love. We needed that as a country, we needed that as a world, and as people, to love and support one another.”
The online debate kept going. But Jordan, it seems, already moved past it.