5 Most Underrated American Idol Contestants Who Deserved Better

For 21 seasons, American Idol has made stars out of ordinary people with extraordinary voices. Unfortunately for each round of hopeful contestants, there can only be one winner.

You don't have to win American Idol to make it in the music industry but having a good run on the show has the power to change contestants' lives.

These 5 contestants had the talent and potential to become stars, but the ending they got and their lack of recognition felt so wrong.

Blake Lewis (Season 6)

The win was within his reach, but he ended up in second plkace, losing to Jordin Sparks. Sparks was just as talented, but it was unfortunate that Lewis was almost forgotten following the finale.

His performances on the show were memorable, as was his talent for beatboxing. Had he entered the final against a different contestant, he may have won.

Jessica Sierra (Season 4)

Sierra was praised by Simon Cowell for having the strongest female voice in the group, and then she was eliminated by audience vote. Her performance of ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ was unforgettable, and a testament to her talent, but it wasn’t enough to leave her mark. She went on to have an unsuccessful music career including an album that was never released.

Mackenzie Bourg (Season 15)

Bourg made it to the top 4, but he deserved to go further, dare we say, to win. The American singer-songwriter has true talent, and performed a single he has written called ‘Roses' in one of his Idol performances. Since his time on the show, he has released multiple songs and covers, with his top having over 4 million listens on Spotify, which just supports the fact that he was overlooked on the show.

Paul McDonald (Season 10)

He stole the show with his smooth voice and his eccentric, interesting personality, but there the competition was tough. Had Paul McDonald appeared in a different season he may have had the chance he deserved to shine, but instead came in 8th place. His elimination felt like a huge letdown as he deserved to go further.

Thia Megia (Season 10)

Her acting career following her time on American Idol completely overshadowed her singing talent, which is unfortunate. At 16, Thia Megia was one of the youngest to perform on the show, and her talent was so unexplored. It was a wasted opportunity for her, as she was eliminated 10th/11th and left singing to pursue her acting career. Had she stayed on Idols, her future may have looked different, but instead, her singing talent was almost forgotten.