Zoanette Johnson Considered ‘American Idol’ Frontrunner After ‘The Lion King’ Performance

Zoanette Johnson rocked a performance of “The Circle of Life” from The Lion King so much that the wild-haired singer may have just moved herself into frontrunner status on American Idol.

Johnson’s performance on Wednesday helped her make the ct as the field of candidates moved from 40 down to 20.

Until this point, Zoanette Johnson has been something of a wild card. Referred to by host Ryan Seacrest as unique (which Rolling Stone noted is a euphemism for “completely bonkers”), Johnson showed some of that wildness by starting her song from The Lion King with a tribal yell.

But by the time the performance ended, Zoanette showed why she may have what it takes to win American Idol. Her song brought the three judges to their feet and prompted Mariah Carey to say tell Johnson that her spirit is “too big to be contained.”

Former American Idol contestant Kimberly Caldwell, who writes a blog for E! on the show, had this to say about Zoanette:

“Wow, was Nicki Minaj right on point when she said that Zoanette Johnson would be the standout girl we remembered after last night’s performance! Whether you get her or not, she is unforgettable. She laid it all out there in every aspect. From her bleach blond afro to her queen-of-the-jungle spirit, I could not take my eyes off the screen! Definitely not the most controlled vocalist out of the girls, but damn, she can give you chills up your spine. Good choice to keep her around.”

Now that Zoanette Johnson has moved into the top 20, she will have more chances to show America her true talent and prove that her vocal range shines brighter than her “uniqueness.” And if she continues performing the way she did on The Lion King song, Zoanette just may be winning American Idol.