The most-awarded female gospel artist was invited to perform on the Season 22 finale of “American Idol.” CeCe Winans chose to sing “Goodness of God” for more than 20 million viewers.
“I’ve known you as a Father; I’ve known you as a friend. And I have lived in the goodness of God,” Winans sang.
CeCe Winans Sings ‘Goodness of God’ on ‘American Idol’ Finale
As another season of “American Idol” came to a close, the three-hour finale included performances from current and former contestants, as well as guest appearances from the judges and other musical artists.
CeCe Winans has won dozens of awards throughout her decades on the stage. “It would be easy to look back and rest on such illustrious honors, but Winans has always had her eyes fixed firmly on the future and is constantly evolving,” says her website.
During the “American Idol” finale, Winans chose to sing the worship song, “Goodness of God.”
“Goodness of God” was written by Ed Cash, Ben Fielding, Jason Ingram, Brian Johnson, and Jenn Johnson and has been sung by countless worship artists. The song provided a beautiful and worshipful moment for those in attendance—whether they sang along or were quietly moved by the lyrics.
‘Cause all my life you have been faithful
And all my life you have been so, so good
With every breath that I am able
Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God
Winans was joined by Roman Collins and a full ensemble for the musical piece. The worship leader at Calvary Baptist Church in Hawthorne, California, Collins was a contestant on the show but was eliminated just before the Top 10.
The finale also served as a tribute to long-time judge, Katy Perry, who was leaving the show after seven years.
According to USA TODAY, the Top 12 female contestants shared the stage and sang a collection of Perry’s songs. Then, Perry sang a duet with Jack Blocker, a contestant who took third place in the competition. Perry was wearing a custom dress that provided her own tribute. Her extra-long skirt contained the faces of each of the Top 24 contestants from the past seven seasons.
“It was just going to be a pretty skirt with a silver top and I was like, ‘No, let’s do something. Let’s make a moment. Let’s pay homage to all the contestants,'” Perry told USA TODAY after the finale filming. “It was just to show how much these kids have really lifted me up.”