Fans Claim 'American Idol' Is 'Fixed' After Abi Carter's Controversial Victory Over Will Moseley

In the thrilling season 22 finale of American Idol on May 19, the Top 3 finalists — Will Moseley, Abi Carter, and Jack Blocker, battled it out one last time. In the end, Carter took home the title with a moving performance of her original song, This Isn’t Over, as reported by The US Sun. Following her victory, she treated the audience to a repeat of her audition song— Billie Eilish’s What Was I Made For. However, the celebration was not without controversy, as many fans and critics accused the show of being rigged given Carter's win over another contestant.

On X, formerly Twitter, fans shared their theories. One user wrote, "I see Abi got all the little teenagers to call their friends to vote. I'm not impressed by her winning at all!!!" Another user compared her to Moseley and opined, "No way is Abi Carter better than Will and I'm not even a country music fan! What a sham!" Chiming in, another echoed, "I wanted Will Moseley to win. Abi Carter sounds like so many other singers." Reritartaing similar concerns, a user asserted, "I will say it once and that’s all. Will Mosley won it in my eyes." Suggesting that the result was rigged, a user alleged, "The fix was in when Billie Eilish voted."

The three-hour-long finale was packed with excitement, featuring the much-awaited hometown visits of the finalists. Carter, overwhelmed with emotion, had tears of joy after clinching the $250,000 cash prize and a recording contract. Regaining her composure, she closed the show with her powerful performance. The crowd applauded as her fellow contestants rushed to congratulate her on stage. Moseley from Hazlehurst, Georgia, secured second place. The star-studded finale also featured performances from music legends Jon Bon Jovi, Seal, Jason Mraz, and Bishop Briggs.

The finale also marked Katy Perry's final episode as a judge after a seven-season stint. Back in February, Perry revealed her plans to step away from the ABC reality competition to concentrate on creating new music. During her appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, she said, “I think this probably will be…my last season for Idol. I mean, I love Idol so much. It’s connected me with, like, the heart of America, but I feel like I need to go out and feel that pulse to my beat, you know what I’m saying?”

Additionally, Perry assured fans that American Idol would forever remain dear to her heart, according to US Weekly. She said, “I love the show so much. But I wanna go and see the world and maybe bring new music. Maybe I’ll come back if they’ll have me one day.” Later that month, Lionel Richie shared his thoughts on Perry's departure from the show. He said, “I’m not mad. It just made me run off the road when I first heard about it. My phone blew up.” He also understood Perry’s intention to pursue other career options. He said, “When Katy says, ‘I want to go and create some stories,’ remember, she’s young."