Getting one last chance to take the stage during the American Idol season finale, John Foster decided to go country with hit songs “Take Me Home, Country Roads” and “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue.” Eventually finding his way into the final two, the singer stood alongside Jamal Roberts as Ryan Seacrest revealed the latest winner. With Roberts the newest American Idol, Foster appeared excited for his fellow competitor as they shared a special moment. With the last few days a whirlwind for Foster, the singer decided to share his thoughts on his journey through American Idol.

While Foster might need some time to process his time on American Idol and the memorable moments he shared along the way, the rising star made sure to thank those who helped him through each week. Sharing a post on Twitter, he explained, “After gathering my thoughts, here is my latest message to my family! I also want to send a very heartfelt congratulations to all of my fellow finalists, especially Jamal, his family, and his community; he is an incredible performer with whom I’m honored to have shared a stage.”

John Foster Found Peace With ‘American Idol’ Outcome

Although coming so close to winning, Foster held no animosity toward Roberts and what he was able to achieve. Wishing him the best moving forward, the singer also took a moment to reveal how he walked away a winner. “No words can describe how I truly feel, but I hope that these will try. I can vividly remember that feeling of “I’ll never be good enough” in my early days of Idol, and I can gladly say that I proved myself wrong. I’ve gained friends, confidence, life skills, and most importantly, I gained you, my family.”

With Foster not letting the outcome deter his dreams of stardom, he added, “My gratitude will never be fully expressed. But I hope to show it by working hard to give you some new country music and show dates as soon as I can. God has a reason for me being runner-up, and I will always trust His plan! This is merely a first step into what He has in store for me, and I cannot wait to see what lies ahead. I love you!”

Able to clearly look back on his amazing journey, Foster admitted that the season finale was somewhat of a blur. Speaking with TVInsider, he said, “I was in a total blur. I knew I was at peace with being runner-up. Jamal is such an incredible performer. I was at peace. I really was. It’s a true honor to be runner-up.”

Seeing American Idol as nothing but a launching pad, the future appeared bright for Foster, who hoped to leave his mark on country music.