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Kyana Fanene performs “I Am” by Stan Walker, American Idol 2025 Season 23 Top 24. Startattle.com – American Idol.
Contestant: Kyana Fanene (28 years old), Background Singer from San Leandro, California
Round: Top 24
Song: “I Am” by Stan Walker
Result: TBA
Kyana Fanene American Idol Top 24
Kyana Fanene stuns the audience with an incredible cover of Stan Walker’s hit song on American Idol 2025. Watch as she leaves the judges speechless with her vocal range and stage presence!
Kyana Fanene “I Am” American Idol
“I Am” is a song by New Zealand musician Stan Walker. A bilingual ballad sung in English and Te Reo Māori, the song was written for the soundtrack of the Ava DuVernay film Origin (2023). The song debuted at number 19 on the New Zealand Singles chart, and was nominated for the Hollywood Music in Media Award for Best Original Song in a Feature Film at the 14th Hollywood Music in Media Awards.
Director Ava DuVernay, while looking for an unexpected song for the closing credits of her 2023 film Origin, was shown Walker’s cover of Kanye West’s “Ultralight Beam” by her collaborator Paul Garnes. Feeling drawn to Walker’s performance, DuVernay searched on Instagram for any mutual connections that she had with Walker, and asked New Zealand film producer Chelsea Winstanley to connect the two. The following day, DuVernay spoke to Walker on the phone, offering him the chance to perform the film’s theme song.
Walker cowrote the song with Michael Fatkin, Vince Harder and Te Kanapu Anasta as a response to the content of the film, taking inspiration from the themes of ethnic identity reclamation and reconnection. Walker incorporated Te Reo Māori into the song’s lyrics, feeling that this was important coming from his own perspective and own personal ethnic identity, and was surprised when DuVernay agreed to include the lyrics.
Show: American Idol
Season: American Idol 2025 (Season 23)
Host: Ryan Seacrest
Judges: Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie
The twenty-third season of American Idol premiered on March 2, 2025, on the ABC television network. Ryan Seacrest returned as host; Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie returned as judges, along with season four winner Carrie Underwood replacing Katy Perry as a judge.
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