While powerhouse vocalists are what make American Idol great, the out-of-the-box contestants are the ones who really get the fans talking. Sophie Powers auditioned during the March 17, 2025, episode of American Idol season 23 and although she may not have made it to the next round, she definitely left her mark on judges Lionel Ritchie, Luke Bryan and Carrie Underwood with an original song called “STFU.”
Life & Style rounds up everything to know about the aspiring musician following her viral American Idol audition.
Who Is Sophie Powers?
The singer already made a name for herself prior to auditioning. Sophie “just wants to make you feel. Call her music whatever you want – hyper-punk or alt-pop or glitch-rock or any other manner of contrived portmanteau – but don’t forget that crucial fact: The 18-year-old star is on a mission to reinject genuine emotion into a pop landscape that’s more alienated than ever,” according to her official website.
She has more than 313,000 followers on Instagram and even has her own merchandise for sale.
Sophie will soon take the stage in the United Kingdom for the Slam Dunk Festival 2025 in late May, followed by a stop in Washington D.C. for the Vans Warped Tour in June.
Where Does Sophie Powers Live?
Although Sophie auditioned to be the next American Idol, she hails from Toronto where she currently resides.
Why Sophie Powers’ ‘American Idol’ Audition Is Going Viral
Before she started singing in front of judges, Sophie displayed her uniqueness through her outfit. She donned a vibrant mint green and pink ensemble made up of a cropped, yet modest, pink puffer jacket with green embellishments including bows, Hawaiian flowers and hearts with her initials “SP” displayed in the center. Sophie’s mint green high waisted pants displayed the same designs, just in the color pink.
Sophie completed the look with black winged eyeliner and a band aid that was placed at the bridge of her nose.
After introducing herself to the judges, Sophie revealed that she was going to perform an original song titled “STFU” and described it as a “tearjerker.”
“I had a pet lizard named George/ He was cool, but he made me really bored/ So I gave him to my mom and she loves him very much because animals are better than people,” Sophie’s song began as she sand in a monotone voice alongside a slower-paced beat of the drum.
“They try to cancel me, cancel me/ Bother me, bother me/ Stop bothering me, I don’t even like my job,” Sophie continued. “Karens, shut the f–k up/ Vegans, shut the f–k up/ Babies, shut the f–k up/ Everyone needs to shut the f–k up/ Laundry, shut the f–k up/ War, shut the f–k up/ Dinosaurs, shut the f–k up/ Everyone needs to shut the f–k up/ Traffic, shut the f–k up/ People, shut the f–k up/ Groceries, shut the f–k up/ Everyone needs to shut the f–k up.”
Sophie stayed expressionless throughout the tune and let the judges know she was done by concluding, “That’s it.”
‘American Idol’ Judges React to Sophie Powers’ Audition
By the looks on their faces, Carrie, Lionel and Luke knew they were in for a wild ride after Sophie sang the first verse of “STFU.”
Once Sophie started dropping the f-bomb, offcamera production started laughing out loud, leading the judges to follow suit.
Lionel admitted he was “mortified” after the performance, while Luke joked that his wife would sing and dedicate that song to him.
“You clearly got a thing going,” Carrie told Sophie during her feedback. “You are interesting. You know, obviously, in the context of American Idol – I don’t know where you’d fit in – here.”
Sophie quipped back, “Yeah. Neither do I, I’m literally Canadian. So …”
After Lionel burst out laughing, the American Idol winner-turned-judge gave her final answer, giving out the first “No.” The country star and the “We Are the World” singer agreed.
What Is Sophie Powers’ Job?
Sophie’s outfit and song choice made perfect sense as she is not only a singer but also a fashion designer, according to her TikTok bio. She sells clothing on her website Gloomy Bear Store, which includes options of ensembles that mimic cartoon characters.
Hours before her American Idol audition aired on March 17, 2025, Sophie teased new music on IG by sharing clips of the unreleased song’s music video. The tune was quite catchy and the sound and visuals looked professional and extremely creative.
“Super hilarious and smart move on American Idol!” a fan gushed in the comments section of the post. “Be prepared for the flood gates to open! Excited to hear your other hits not just the funny honest ones!”
