Kyndal Inskeep said she was left underwhelmed by her own performance of the Goo Goo Dolls’ "Iris" during Monday’s American Idol live show, admitting to reporters she didn’t think it was “my favorite performance” and acknowledging the mounting pressure of competing in the Top 12. The contestant, who advanced to next week’s episode when host Ryan Seacrest read the names of those moving on, called the night a mixed bag even as she expressed determination to improve.
The song was part of the show’s Judges’ Song Contest segment, in which each contestant must select from three options supplied by the panel. Inskeep said she had to guess which judge chose "Iris," got that wrong twice, and struggled with the material because it comes from an era she barely remembers. “This was a judges’ pick,” she told TV Insider and a small group of reporters after the live broadcast. “So, it’s not like I know this song [like] the back of my hand.”
Inskeep described the heightened expectations that build as the competition progresses. “With every week, you feel the need to not want to let anybody down,” she said. “You’ve attained all these people in your corner throughout the whole season. And at this point, there’s a lot of intensity. I feel that with every week, you just have to lock in.” Despite her self-criticism, she welcomed the quick clarity of the live-elimination format. “I was happy that I learned my fate sooner rather than later when Ryan announced the names,” she said.
She also used the interview to highlight a technical detail of the Idol stage: the show does not use autotune. “What people are hearing is actual raw vocals,” Inskeep explained, framing her off-night as an honest performance under pressure rather than a product of studio trickery. That rawness, she implied, makes consistency more challenging when contestants are handed material that isn’t part of their regular repertoire.
Inskeep said she is choosing to focus forward. “I’m ready to bring it next week and I’m really grateful for the opportunity to do so,” she enthused, signaling she plans to regroup and raise her game for the next live round. Her ability to remain composed during post-performance interviews has become part of her public persona; Seacrest complimented her apparent ease onstage, to which she laughed and acknowledged the compliment.
American Idol continues to air Mondays at 8/7c on ABC. Inskeep’s candid assessment of her own work offers a reminder of the pressures contestants confront as the field narrows and judges’ choices push singers out of their comfort zones.