John Foster is only getting better and better.

After making it to the Top 8 of American Idol thanks to his cover of Bonnie Raitt’s “Something to Talk About,” the 18-year-old singer gave the performance of his life to try and earn a spot in the Top 7.

As part of the Judges’ Song Contest, Carrie Underwood, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan each picked a song for every single contestant to sing. The contestant picked their choice out of the three options, without knowing which judge suggested the tune.

For Foster, he was given the options “Two Dozen Roses,” “I Cross My Heart,” and “Crazy.” Ultimately, he wound up picking the George Strait number, in honor of Brooklyn, his girlfriend of one year. The song was Underwood’s choice for the singer.

Brooklyn gushed over the performance, and Underwood agreed.

“That was absolutely perfect,” Underwood said. “It felt comfortable. It felt genuine.”

Bryan agreed, stating, “It was the perfect song for you… You’re singing better and better every week.”

John Foster’s Bond with Carrie Underwood

It’s no surprise Foster picked Underwood’s choice. He has had a special bond with her throughout the competition.

During a recent Idol episode dedicated to iconic moments in the show’s history, Foster dedicated his performance of “I Told You So,” which Underwood performed with Randy Travis years ago on the show, to the judge.

After the performance, Underwood further reflected on Foster’s Idol journey.

“He’s so sweet and fresh faced and he’s one of those people that I feel like… don’t even really know how good you are kind of thing,” Underwood told People. “Week to week, we have watched him progress so much. We were talking after his performance, me, Luke, and [Lionel], and we were just saying he’s probably the one that has grown the most since he’s been here.”

She added, “I feel like he kind of reminds me of my oldest son. When he’s over there singing to me, I kind of feel like a proud mom. He’s very good.”

In a Facebook post, Foster noted, “It was such an honor to pay tribute to the incredible Carrie Underwood. She’s been my voice on the judge’s panel, and I hope that my performance last night gave her the respect that she deserves.”

Photo by Eric McCandless/Disney via Getty Images