Olivier Bergeron Wows with Emotional Performance of “I Am Not Okay” on American Idol
22-year-old Olivier Bergeron brought the house down during the American Idol Season 23 Top 24 round with a powerful and heartfelt rendition of Jelly Roll’s “I Am Not Okay.” The truck driver from the small village of Kedgwick, New Brunswick, sang his heart out at Disney’s Aulani Resort in Hawaii—while Jelly Roll himself watched from the front row, smiling and singing along.
Before taking the stage, Bergeron opened up about the challenges of chasing his dream.
“It’s very hard to be a dreamer where I’m from,” he said. “It’s an emergency. I need to be a singer.”
Wearing shorts and a white tee under a black sweater vest, Olivier delivered a raw, rock-tinged performance that nearly moved the judges—and Jelly Roll—to tears.
Jelly Roll praised his authenticity:
“To be a kid that hardly speaks English, to be coming over here and kicking this much butt already—I’m a big fan,” he said. “I see you. I feel you. I am your family.”
Carrie Underwood applauded Olivier’s growth:
“Every time you take the stage, you surprise us. You’ve got it—own it.”
Luke Bryan encouraged him to lean into a more powerful stage presence, while Lionel Richie complimented his vocal strength:
“You blossomed right in the middle of that song.”
Olivier has been a standout since his audition, where he impressed with a cover of Jelly Roll’s “Save Me.” He’s continued to wow with dynamic performances of “Like A Stone” by Audioslave and “Radioactive” by Imagine Dragons.
No matter where he finishes in the competition, Olivier Bergeron is proving that big dreams can come from the smallest places.
