Jordan McCullough’s Unexpected Taylor Swift Cover Earns Idol Judges’ Rave Reviews
on Apr 28, 2026
American Idol Celebrates Taylor Swift Night
Competition is heating up on Season 24 of American Idol as they near the finale in just two weeks. On Monday, April 27th, the top seven contestants were challenged with delivering two performances: one song to honor the state of California and one from Taylor Swift’s catalog.
Taylor Swift is widely regarded as one of the most successful musical artists in history. With twelve studio albums ranging from country to pop, the “Ophelia” singer has a wide array of songs to choose from. However, for many contestants, covering the pop star was a step outside of their comfort zone.
Jordan McCullough Opens The Show With “Tim McGraw”
Tennessee-based worship leader Jordan McCullough kicked off the show with a cover of Taylor Swift’s debut single “Tim McGraw.” Taylor released the song nearly 20 years ago, in June 2006. It has since been certified 2x Platinum in the United States and was included in Rolling Stone’s “100 Greatest Debut Singles of All Time” list.
To get in the spirit for the performance, Jordan joked:
“I went and got some boots and a bolo tie y’all.”
The 27-year-old vocalist made the song his own, blending his soulful gospel sound with the country style of the original. Watch Jordan McCullough perform Taylor Swift’s “Tim McGraw” on American Idol below!
RELATED: Carrie Underwood Hears “The Holy Spirit” In Jordan McCullough’s Bonnie Raitt Cover
Jordan McCullough’s Fate On Idol Revealed
Jordan McCullough’s unexpected Taylor Swift cover received rave reviews from all three Idol judges and guest judge Nikki Glaser. Carrie remarked:
“Jordan, you have the smoothest, most incredible voice. I feel like week after week, you just prove that you can sing anything.”
When the results were revealed at the end of the episode, Jordan McCullough received the happy news that he will advance to the next round of competition!
Tune in on Monday, May 4th, for an exciting American Idol and Dancing with the Stars mashup, where the top 5 will perform alongside DWTS dancers.
