‘I’m a Huge Supporter’: Jelly Roll Commends Olivier Bergeron’s Performance on ‘American Idol’

Olivier Bergeron nearly brought judges and a large part of America to tears on American Idol Monday night (April 14), delivering a heartfelt rendition of Jelly Roll’s “I Am Not Okay,” filled with emotion and sincerity.

The 22-year-old competitor from Canada, raised in a French-speaking community in New Brunswick, shared prior to his performance that music is not merely a dream for him; it’s essential to his existence.

“It’s incredibly difficult to be a dreamer where I come from,” he conveyed in a pre-performance segment. “It’s a necessity. Singing is my only path. I want to demonstrate to everyone in my hometown that if you believe, you can achieve your dreams.”

Bergeron stepped onto the stage at Disney’s Aulani Resort in Hawaii for the Top 24 phase of Season 23, infusing every lyric of the Jelly Roll ballad with deep emotion. The artist himself was present in the audience, profoundly affected by the performance.

“I understand what it’s like to be untrained and overwhelmed, pouring your heart into your singing while trembling,” Jelly Roll expressed to Bergeron afterward. “I see it and I can feel what you are doing. For someone who barely speaks English to come here and excel so much, I’m a huge fan and I consider you family.”

The performance quickly turned into one of the highlight moments of the evening as voting opened for the audience to support those moving on to the Top 20.

Other notable performances that night included Drew Ryn’s heartfelt interpretation of Avril Lavigne’s “I’m With You,” Thunderstorm Artis’ soulful version of Bob Marley’s “Is This Love,” and Mattie Pruitt’s poignant return while performing Katy Perry’s “Wide Awake.”

Voting for American Idol will remain open until 6 a.m. ET on Tuesday (April 15). The Top 14 will be announced live next Monday, after a three-hour Easter special featuring performances by CeCe Winans, Jelly Roll with Brandon Lake, and others.