Hannah Harper Receives Invitation from Chris Tomlin after Emotional Finale Performance
The American Idol singer who captivated audiences with her heartfelt storytelling and faith-filled performances now has a fan in worship leader Chris Tomlin.
Hannah Harper won Season 24 of American Idol on Monday, capping a season in which she kept her faith front and center and emerged as a fan favorite with emotional original songs – such as the viral hit String Cheese – that highlighted her small-town upbringing and role as a mother.
But moments after she was named the winner, Harper began singing a well-known worship anthem by Chris Tomlin – At the Cross (Love Ran Red) – yet became so overcome with emotion that she was unable to finish. Jordan McCullough, himself a worship leader who finished second, joined her onstage and helped her finish the song.
Tomlin posted a video of the moment on his Instagram – and invited Harper to sing the song with him someday.
“Huge congrats on winning American Idol… I love hearing you sing At The Cross!!! Let’s sing it together sometime! God bless you and your family in this next season of your life,” Tomlin wrote.
It was far from the first time Harper had openly expressed her faith. She previously sang At the Cross during American Idol’s “Songs of Faith” episode. Even her hit String Cheese – a song about her three children – reflected themes of purpose with the lyric, “And I smile because I know meeting their needs fills my soul. And being their mama is who I'm meant to be.” She wrote it after a stressful day when her son’s repeated requests to open his string cheese reminded her of her own purpose.
“What a wild, beautiful journey this has been,” she wrote on Instagram. “And somehow we’re just getting started. Thank you to every single person who believed in me, prayed over me, voted, and helped carry this dream farther than I ever could’ve imagined. Y’all changed my life. I’m beyond thankful for the doors the Lord has opened and for the opportunity to walk this path. I’ll see y’all on the road soon… tour dates coming your way. ‘For I know the plans I have for you’ – this is the Lord’s declaration – ‘plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.’ Jeremiah 29:11 (CSB)”
Related Article
Hannah Harper Sings 'At the Cross' to Win American Idol
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Dia Dipasupil/Staff
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
Listen to Michael's Podcast! He is the host of Crosswalk Talk, a podcast where he talks with Christian movie stars, musicians, directors, and more. Hear how famous Christian figures keep their faith a priority in Hollywood and discover the best Christian movies, books, television, and other entertainment. You can find Crosswalk Talk on LifeAudio.com, or subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an interview that will be sure to encourage your faith.
Originally published May 15, 2026.
