Keyla Richardson's journey on American Idol came to an end Monday night, with the Pensacola singer coming in third.
Missouri mom Hannah Harper was named the winner by the end of the evening.
During Monday's three-hour finale, Richardson sang Alicia Keys' "Un-thinkable" and "I Love the Lord" by Whitney Houston.
The City of Pensacola shared a statement on Facebook praising Richardson's "soaring voice and tremendous heart."
"No matter the outcome, the best is yet to come for Keyla, Drew, and her entire family."
The Pensacola native is a music teacher at Life Shifting Learning Academy (LSLA), a private Christian academy. Richardson grew up singing in church. She’s released a few singles and was a contestant on BET’s gospel competition show, “Sunday Best” in 2019.
Local fans have been following Richardson's rise on the show with watch parties across the city. Her fanbase, called the Keyhive, has grown in recent weeks. Thousands of people were in attendance for her hometown welcome last week.
Those fans will get another chance to see Richardson perform on July 25 at the Saenger Theatre. Tickets are available here.