Jimmie Allen recently appeared on American Idol to duet on “Shallow” with Alanis Sophia, a contestant currently competing on the long-running talent show’s 19th season.
After Sophia sang “Alive” by Sia, Allen—himself an Idol alum from the tenth season—came out to sing the hit song from 2018’s A Star is Born, originally performed by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper. The duo reworked the song into a delicate acoustic ballad that still allowed them to belt out the passionate chorus.
“This song is very emotionally driven and I love the lyrics and I just feel connected to it,” Sophia explained during the episode. “I love to honor the original artist, but I also want to showcase who I am as an artist.”
The same episode, Allen sang his own song “Freedom Was a Highway”—originally a collaboration with Brad Paisley from his Bettie James EP—with current contestant Cecil Ryan. Watch that performance below:
And see Allen and Sophia cover “Shallow” here: