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North Carolina's Clay Aiken returns to 'American Idol' stage for season finale

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North Carolina's Clay Aiken returns to 'American Idol' stage for season finale
United States Latest News,United States Headlines
📆5/12/2026 9:27 AM
📰ABC7
⏱47 sec. here / 2 min. at publisher
📊News: 22% · Publisher: 68%

NC native and former 'American Idol' contestant Clay Aiken returns to the Idol stage Monday night for the show's finale.

Aiken is also celebrating another milestone: releasing his first new single in 18 years, titled "Rewind.

"The performance is especially meaningful because Aiken's teenage son, Parker, will experience his dad releasing new music for the first time. "He's not been alive when I had new music out," Aiken said. "So this is a whole new thing for him, too. " North Carolina will also be well represented during the finale.

Aiken will duet with fellow Tar Heel and finalist Braden Rumfelt on "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me," the same song Aiken performed during his 2003 Idol run.

"North Carolina is by far the most successful state on 'American Idol'," Aiken said, pointing to stars including Fantasia Barrino, Scotty McCreery, and Chris Daughtry. In an interview with ABC11's Amber Rupinta, American Idol runner-up, Raleigh native Clay Aiken dishes on American Idol 2026 finale and his newly released single. Judge declines to drop charges in NJ crash that killed NHL star Johnny Gaudreau, his brother Matthew

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North Carolina's Clay Aiken returns to 'American Idol' stage for season finaleNorth Carolina's Clay Aiken returns to 'American Idol' stage for season finaleNC native and former 'American Idol' contestant Clay Aiken returns to the Idol stage Monday night for the show's finale.
Read more »

North Carolina's Clay Aiken returns to 'American Idol' stage for season finaleNorth Carolina's Clay Aiken returns to 'American Idol' stage for season finaleNC native and former 'American Idol' contestant Clay Aiken returns to the Idol stage Monday night for the show's finale.
Read more »



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