Although CeCe Winans was not a contestant, she stole the show in the finale of “American Idol.” She joined contestant Roman Collins for a powerful rendition of “Goodness of God.”
On Instagram, the performance garnered more likes, comments and shares than any other post for the night, including singer and contestant duets involving Hootie and the Blowfish, New Kids on the Block, Bishop Briggs and Wynonna Judd. Katy Perry, a judge, was moved to tears.
“Goodness of God” originally was included on a 2019 Bethel Music album and then covered by Winans, whose 2021 live rendition entered the Top 10 of Billboard’s Hot Christian Songs chart. It was included on her Believe for It album. “CeCe Winans just took the American Idol finale audience to church!” worship leader Brian Tabor wrote on X.
“Hard to believe it was allowed on network TV, but CeCe Winans just blew everyone off the stage on Idol with ‘Goodness of God.’ Had Katy Perry, former worship singer turned mainstream, in tears. Just unbelievable,” sports journalist Brad Crawford wrote.
Shannon Bream of Fox News also was moved. “That @cecewinans duet with Roman Collins — I am not okay,” she wrote.
Winans stated earlier this year that she added “Goodness of God” to her 2021 album because many people in the black community had not heard it. Winans was one of those until a member of the worship team at her church introduced her to it. The song went on to win the 2023 GMA Dove Award for Song of the Year.
“There’s a lot of people who haven’t heard it, who look like me,” she said. “That song showed me how sometimes our cultures are so far apart. A song can really be big in the CCM world, and in the black churchor in a different denomination, they haven’t heard it.”
Collins recently released his debut album, “Same Gospel, New Sound.” He finished in the top 12 of “American Idol.”
He is also the director of Biola University’s Gospel Choir, and the school says it aims “to minister all styles of Gospel Music.”
“It was an honor to sing #GoodnessofGod with you @romancollinsofficial,” Winans posted on Facebook.
–Alan Goforth | Metro Voice