Two American Idol Hopefuls Pair Up To Sing Zach Bryan And Kacey Musgraves’ Grammy-Winning Duet

American Idol contestants Slater Nalley and Nina Daig teamed up to sing together during Hollywood Week‘s head-to-head round.

Before that round, Nalley, Daig, and the other Idol hopefuls competed during the “Showstoppers” stage of the competition. Four contestants automatically advanced to the Top 24 after that round. 16 contestants were eliminated, while the remaining 42 contestants, including Nalley and Daig, prepared for the head-to-head performances.

During the head-to-head round, two contestants pair up and sing a duet, and the judges offer commentary afterward. It’s quite similar to the way The Voice does its battle rounds.

The stakes were high, as only 20 of the 42 singers competing in the head-to-head round advanced to the Top 24. Nalley and Daig put their fate in a cover of “I Remember Anything,” the Grammy-winning collaboration by Zach Bryan and Kacey Musgraves.

Released in September 2023, “I Remember Everything” reached the #1 spot on three Billboard charts, including the all-genre Hot 100. The track has since been certified 2x Platinum by the RIAA and has generated over 1 billion streams on Spotify.

Did Slater Nalley And Nina Daig Advance To The Top 24 On American Idol?

Nalley and Daig showcased an incredible sense of teamwork as they powered through their cover of “I Remember Everything.” After their performance, the pair admitted they had a rough night rehearsing, especially since Daig didn’t know the song beforehand.

The judges noticed Daig’s insecurity, with Lionel Richie saying she seemed a bit reserved in the first half of the performance. Luke Bryan agreed, saying that Daig’s gorgeous country tone “got a little compromised” because she seemed to be worried about remembering the lyrics.

For her part, Carrie Underwood focused her commentary on Nalley, telling the 17-year-old singer:

“Slater, I keep becoming more and more impressed with you. You seem to be getting more and more comfortable. You have a great voice, it just kind of cuts through the air. I feel like you could go pretty far in this competition for sure.”

In the end, the judges chose to send Nalley on into the Top 24. However, this marked the end of Daig’s Idol journey, as she was eliminated from the competition.