Kutter Bradley delivered a high-energy performance on American Idol, putting his gritty country-rock vocals on full display with a cover of “It’s Not Over” by one of his biggest musical inspirations Chris Daughtry.
Prior to his performance, the 22-year-old fire protection inspector from Florence, Alabama, opened up about his experience in Hawaii as he prepared to showcase his talents for America’s vote.
“This is the first long flight and good grief. Total hours was probably like 12. I’ve never been anywhere like this, especially not Hawaii, and it is way prettier than the pictures. The atmosphere is awesome. The people are great,” Bradley explained of his time at Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa, before reflecting on his life-changing Idol journey. “I’m in the Top 20 on American Idol, I will remember this for the rest of my life.”
For his performance, Bradley chose to cover “It’s Not Over,” the breakout hit from Chris Daughtry, a fellow Idol alum who finished fourth on the show in 2006. The song also holds special meaning for Bradley, who credits Daughtry as one of his biggest musical influences.
“When I was real little, my dad got me a MP3 player and he loaded that thing on with the music he listened to. Everything from Daughtry to old ’70s rock and stuff. I really fell in love with Chris Daughtry and just how he performs and carries himself,” Bradley explained of the song. “Definitely one of my biggest inspirations, and I would love to take the path he took.”
With this performance, Bradley decided to showcase more of his showmanship by performing without his guitar, something he typically relies on during his Idol performances. “So I’ll be performing without a guitar, so I’m going to try to not be nervous this round,” Bradley explained to mentors Brad Paisley and KeKe Palmer.
Paisley offered some advice, noting that Bradley seemed unsure what to do with his hands when not holding his guitar. “I just kept looking at that hand thinking, this is a guy who’s not used to not to doing this. And sure enough, that was true,” Paisley said. “Guys like me to play the guitar when first time that you’re like, you’re going to just sing this this evening with a microphone. It’s like, what do I do with my hands? I look ridiculous if I don’t really figure out what I’m going to do.”
Paisley continued, “So, now you got a mic and this hand is free to enunciate. Whatever it is.”
KeKe Palmer agreed, telling Bradley that once he gets comfortable with the stage presence aspect, the performance will come naturally. “As long as he can do that, I think he’s going to be fine because the voice is there. You’re going to be great, man,” Palmer added.
When it came time for Kutter Bradley to take the stage, he delivered an energy-filled rendition of the rock hit by Daughtry. Wearing a black Hawaiian-inspired button-up shirt with a white tank top and jeans, Bradley moved around the stage confidently without his guitar while belting out the powerful anthem.
“Let’s start over/ I’ll try to do it right this time around/ It’s not over/ Because a part of me is dead and in the ground/ This love is killing me, but you’re the only one/ It’s not over,” Bradley sang.
As he performed, Idol judges Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood, and Luke Bryan watched from the crowd alongside Bradley’s parents and fellow contestants. Underwood, an avid fan of Rock ‘n Roll, was even seen throughout the performance dancing and singing along.
Richie praised the performance, noting the strong reaction from the star-studded audience. “Well, I’ll tell you what I was listening to. Carrie didn’t miss not one note, not one lyric,” Richie joked. “And between that and your dad headbanging, what the heck is going on around here? You were familiar with that. I got right away that that was in your wheelhouse. You were very, very in pocket and it showed. It showed really great.”
Keke quickly agreed with Richie’s compliments. “I agree with Lionel. It was just so good to see you lose yourself on stage. Like seeing you perform it yesterday, it was great. We had the vibe, but with the band and the element going, I could see you just embodying it, and this is definitely your lane.”
Underwood echoed that sentiment, gushing, “Your lane… that’s the perfect way to put it. I feel like it was such a smart song choice for you. You’re Kutter Bradley, you’re like our country kind of rock guy, and I feel like that song just fit perfectly. I encourage you to just keep getting comfortable, keep entertaining. You’re exactly where you’re supposed to be, doing what you’re supposed to be doing.”
Luke Bryan then offered some constructive feedback before praising Bradley’s growth in the competition.
“Remember to breathe, Kutter. Remember to breathe. There was a couple of times I was like, the boy’s running out of air,” Bryan said, offering him a piece of advice. “But I tell you what’s really endearing about you is you are that guy that’s going to relate to all the dudes. And we’re throwing a lot of different stuff at you. Keep trusting your gut with the songs that you know and want to perform and you’re getting better and better with every performance. A lot of energy on that one and be very proud of it. I love it.”
Afterward, Idol host Ryan Seacrest spoke with Kutter Bradley about the song’s personal connection to his childhood and watching his dad in the crowd singing along. “Me and dad would be bumping that all the way down the road. Anywhere we’re going, we’re bumping it,” Bradley said.
Fans first met Bradley during his Idol audition, where he impressed the judges with a cover of “Here Without You” by 3 Doors Down. “I love your voice [and] I love your confidence. That little growl you have is signature to you,” Richie gushed of Bradley’s vocals at the time.
During Hollywood Week, Bradley also turned heads with a powerful performance of “Jack” by HARDY, a moment that helped secure his place among the season’s standout contestants. He later solidified his place in the Top 20 with a memorable cover of “Amarillo Sky” by Jason Aldean during the first-ever “‘Ohana Round.”
Voting has changed this season, and fans have three ways to support their favorite contestants: online at AmericanIdol.com/Vote, on social media (@AmericanIdol) by commenting the contestant’s first name on the pinned post on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, or by texting the contestant’s number to 21523.
For Kutter Bradley, that number is 6. Fans can cast up to 10 votes per contestant per method and platform. Voting opens when the contestant appears on TV and closes at 6 A.M. EST on Tuesday, March 17.
Over the next week, the remaining Idol hopefuls will perform for America’s votes from Disney’s Aulani Resort & Spa in Hawaii, vying for a chance to advance to the Top 14 while guided by superstar mentors Brad Paisley and Keke Palmer.
Follow Kutter Bradley’s journey on American Idol Mondays at 8/7c on ABC, or stream the episode the next day on Hulu.
