Fergus Falls Construction Worker Chris Tungseth Advances to American Idol Top 14

Ryan Seacrest had announced only one name before he called the second: Chris Tungseth. The crowd packed into Outstate Brewing Company in Fergus Falls erupted. Then the episode kept going, and before long someone in the room put words to the frustration spreading across the bar: "That was really rude to make us wait till next week."

The 27-year-old Fergus Falls construction worker had survived the cut from 20 to 14 on Season 24 of American Idol during the March 30 broadcast on ABC. In the same episode, the Top 14 performed again for another round of viewer voting, with Tungseth singing Cody Johnson's "By Your Grace" during a "Songs of Faith"-themed night. Judges Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie were on hand; Underwood, who closed the show herself with a rendition of "How Great Thou Art," told the audience she was moved by the evening. The studio crowd reacted strongly to Tungseth's set.

The voting response was staggering. Tens of millions of votes came in during just two hours, a volume too large for producers to count accurately before air time, pushing the Top 12 announcement to this week's broadcast on ABC.

Pat Lundberg, co-owner and CEO of Outstate Brewing, where Tungseth has performed before his Idol run, told MPR why the community has rallied so completely behind him. "There's this aura that he has, and he's such a positive, good person. He's a light," Lundberg said.

Tungseth's personal story gives that description weight. At his Nashville audition, he performed "Lonely Road," an original song written after his father's death in 2023, and all three judges responded with visible emotion. His mother has lived with multiple sclerosis since he was a child, a family struggle he has woven into his public story throughout the competition and one that viewers say gives each performance a harder emotional landing.

For Fergus Falls and Otter Tail County, his run has produced something the area rarely gets: sustained national attention. Outstate Brewing has served as the watch-party hub since the season opened, drawing neighbors who might not otherwise share a Monday night. Local and national media have tracked his advancement in step.

Fans looking to move the needle before tonight's Top 12 reveal can vote online, via text, or through Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, which replaced the app-based voting system this season. The results air tonight on ABC.