Keyla Richardson turned the American Idol 2026 grand finale into a full-blown worship service when she sang ‘I Love The Lord’ and left the entire room in tears.
‘I Love The Lord’ was written by Richard Smallwood back in 1996. It comes straight from Psalm 116 and it’s basically a declaration that says God I need you and I’m not ashamed to say it. Whitney Houston made it famous but the song has always belonged to the church. And Keyla brought it right back there.
With a powerful choir behind her she took those lyrics and made them feel brand new. Her voice was soaring and you could tell this wasn’t a performance for her. This was personal.
Even the Judges Felt It
Carrie Underwood was fighting back tears. She thanked Keyla for using such a massive national platform to share her heart and glorify God. And Lionel Richie told her that her vocal gift is meant to inspire people. When judges who have seen thousands of performances react like that you know something special just happened.
Keyla Richardson Finishes in Third Place
She finished third behind runner-up Jordan McCullough and winner Hannah Harper. But honestly her gospel performance quickly became the standout moment of the night and nobody is really arguing about that.
We don’t always have to come in first for God to use us. Sometimes He puts us in third place on purpose because the assignment was never about winning. It was about worshiping. Keyla reminded us of that and we needed it.
“I love the LORD, because He has heard my voice and my supplications.” — Psalm 116:1 (NKJV)
WATCH: Keyla Richardson Worships with ‘I Love The Lord’ on American Idol
