Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie Give a Moving Rendition of ‘Jesus Is Love’ with ‘American Idol’ Top 20

The heartfelt performance occurred during “Songs of Faith” night.

On Monday night (March 30), Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie teamed up with the American Idol Top 20 for a stirring performance of “Jesus Is Love.”

The moment unfolded during the premiere live show of Season 24 on ABC, which was themed “Songs of Faith.” The episode featured the Top 14 contestants performing uplifting, faith-inspired numbers. These 14 finalists had been selected through a combination of viewer votes, including texts, online submissions, and social media engagement, following the Top 20’s “Ohana Week” performances. By the end of the evening, the field was narrowed down to 12 contestants, who advanced based on America’s votes.

Richie set the emotional tone with the opening verse, and Bryan joined in shortly after. As the performance progressed, the rest of the Top 20 gradually joined on stage, creating a choir-like effect that amplified the song’s inspirational message.

“Jesus Is Love,” a gospel classic, was written by Richie and first recorded by his band, the Commodores, for their 1980 album Heroes.

The episode also marked the season’s first time the judges performed on stage. Carrie Underwood delivered a moving rendition of “How Great Thou Art” alongside 2025 Platinum Ticket winners Filo, Canaan James Hill, and Kolbi Jordan.

The “Songs of Faith” theme was first introduced in Season 23 (2025) to coincide with the Easter season.

“It began as a conversation over dinner with the judges, some ABC executives, and myself,” American Idol showrunner and executive producer Megan Michaels Wolflick told Rolling Stone.