American Idol season 21 third place finalist Colin Stough wasn't crowned champion, and although there are reasons for this, there's also a case to be made that he should've won. Colin was eliminated on finale night after his impressive performances of "Stupid Boy" by Keith Urban and "Either Way" by Chris Stapleton. Later in the episode, Iam Tongi was named the American Idol season 21 winner, while Megan Danielle was the runner-up.
Throughout American Idol season 21, Colin put his own country spin on songs such as "Dancing On My Own" by Robyn, "It's Been Awhile" by Staind, "Hand in My Pocket" by Alanis Morissette, "Real Gone" from Cars, and "Nobody Knows" from Pete's Dragon. For someone with no prior experience performing, he took the competition by storm, getting better and better with every performance. There are many reasons why Colin deserved to win American Idol season 21, and why he didn't.
10 Colin Stough Should've Won American Idol Because He Had Raw Talent & Showed Growth
Colin's mom signed him up for American Idol because she recognized his raw talent, and knew that he'd never do it on his own. At first, he didn't have much confidence in himself, and needed to learn to believe that he deserved to be in the competition. As the weeks passed by, the judges, Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, and Luke Bryan, praised Colin's continuous growth. He took their advice to heart, which helped him to evolve into a true star by finale night. Colin represented the true purpose of American Idol, which is to the find the best undiscovered talent in America.
9 Colin Stough Didn't Win Because Of His Lack Of Experience Performing
Although Colin's raw talent was stunning, his lack of experience sometimes made his performances seem less professional than those of his fellow competitors. Three of the Top 12 finalists, Megan, Wé Ani, and Marybeth Byrd, had previously appeared on The Voice, so they even had backgrounds performing on television. Lionel encouraged Colin, who is very sweet, to "get nasty" on stage, meaning that he had to really tap into the grit of the songs he chose in order to make them believable. Colin did eventually achieve this, but much later in the competition.
8 Colin Stough Should've Won American Idol Because He Has A Great Voice
Colin had no vocal training, so his talent is especially impressive. During his audition with "Simple Man" by Lynyrd Skynyrd, the authenticity poured out of him. He is a country singer from a small town, and his story came through his voice in every performance. Colin could've easily won American Idol based on his vocal range and ability alone.
7 Colin Stough Didn't Win Because He's Too Similar To Other Recent Winners
Since American Idol was rebooted by ABC in 2018, six winners have been crowned: Maddie Poppe, Laine Hardy, Just Sam, Chayce Beckham, Noah Thompson, and Iam. Laine, Chayce, and Noah are all male country singers with sounds and styles that are very similar to Colin's. In fact, Noah and Colin had the same story, as they were both young men from small towns with incredible talent who had never performed in front of audiences before. American Idol fans have complained for years about the string of similar male winners who sing country music. It was time for something different, and Iam brought that breath of fresh air.
6 Colin Stough Should've Won Because He Made Songs His Own On American Idol
One of Colin's most captivating American Idol moments was when he sang and played guitar on Robyn's dance song, "Dancing On My Own." It was his celebration song for making it to the Top 12 of the competition. Although Calum Scott has a slowed-down version of the song with piano accompaniment, Colin's addition of his acoustic guitar infused the song with his country music style. This breakout moment was just the beginning of him taking songs from other genres and giving them a country twist.
5 Colin Stough Didn't Win Because Other Country Singers Were Stronger
Although Colin wowed the judges and the audience with his performances, there were a few country singers in the competition who didn't make it as far as him, and were stronger performers. Megan, Marybeth, and Warren Peay all had more polished performances than Colin. Even though Colin made it further than Marybeth and Warren, their presence in the competition reminded viewers that Colin was still very new to performing live. Although his voice is great, he's still learning what he can do with it. Colin's new single "I Still Talk to Jesus" even makes use of his falsetto, which he didn't use on the show.
4 Colin Stough Should've Won American Idol Because Of His Great Personality
Colin spent most of American Idol season 21 in awe of the fact that he was there. He became even more endearing when he shouted, "I love my mom!" after his Top 26 performance of "Midnight Train To Memphis." Lionel advised him not to say that he loved his mom at the end of a performance, in order to maintain his credibility as a "true rocker." He joked with him that it's an 18-year-old's statement. However, this didn't stop Colin from unabashedly telling everyone he loved his mom throughout the competition. Although he was skyrocketing to superstardom, he remained grounded and humble.
3 Colin Stough Didn't Win Because American Idol Didn't Need Another Country Music Winner
Iam's Island-style vibe brought something completely new to American Idol. While country music is an American favorite, the show has produced many very successful country artists including Carrie Underwood, Kellie Pickler, Bucky Covington, Scotty McCreery, Lauren Alaina, Gabby Barrett, Laine, Chayce, Noah, and HunterGirl. The American Idol audience was tired of country, so this could be why Colin didn't take home the crown this year.
2 Colin Stough Should've Won American Idol Because Of Potential For Success After The Show
Since country music singers do so well after American Idol, Colin should've won because he's a fantastic singer of the genre. His song "Bad Day" has over half a million Spotify streams, while "I Still Talk to Jesus" has about a quarter of a million. In a May 20 Instagram post, Colin marveled about "I Still Talk to Jesus" reaching number 5 on the country iTunes chart. He also won the LIVE with Kelly and Mark American Idol Encore contest, which means his fans voted to see him perform on the show. Colin has great potential for success after the show, especially if judge Luke takes him under his wing.
1 Colin Stough Didn't Win American Idol Because He's Still Defining Himself
Although Colin has a beautiful voice and tons of star quality, he's still defining himself as an artist. While Iam was comfortable on stage from the beginning of American Idol season 21, Colin hit his stride toward the end of the competition. If the show were a few weeks longer, Colin might've won, because he was transforming from a good singer to a shining star. Even though he didn't win the competition, he won the hearts of fans everywhere. Colin has the whole package, and a bright future ahead of him.
Sources: Colin Stough/Instagram