Sophia Louise Wackerman (born September 1, 1999),[1] known from the live shows onward as Sophia James,[1] was a contestant in Season 18 of American Idol.
Audition[]
Sophia auditioned in Los Angeles. She sang "Water" by Bishop Briggs. All three judges voted "yes", sending her to the next round.
Hollywood Round[]
Sophia was shown in the "Soul" category of the Genre Challenge, alongside Amber Fiedler, Jovin Webb and Doug Kiker. She sang "Let It Be" by Paul McCartney. Afterwards, the judges told her she advanced. In the Duet Round, She sang "Somebody That I Used to Know" by Gotye and Kimbra with Sarah Isen. She advanced to the solo round. For her final solo performance, she sang "Somewhere" from West Side Story. Later, she was placed in the same deliberation room as Jonny West, Arthur Gunn, Franklin Boone, Makayla Phillips, Kimmy Gabriela, Francisco Martin, DeWayne Crocker Jr., Cyniah Elise, and Lauren Mascitti, where the judges told everyone that they advanced.
Hawaii Round[]
Sophia sang "Levels" by Nick Jonas. Afterwards, the judges told her she did enough to become a Top 20 finalist.
This Is Me[]
Top 20[]
Sophia sang "Burning" by Maggie Rogers. She received enough votes to become a Top 11 finalist.
Top 11[]
Sophia sang "In My Room" by The Beach Boys. She did not receive enough votes to place in the Top 7, eliminating her from the competition alongside Makayla Phillips, Grace Leer, and Jovin Webb.
Performances[]
| Round | Song Choice | Original Artist | Theme (if any) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auditions | "Water" | Bishop Briggs | None | Safe |
| Hollywood Week | "Let It Be" | Paul McCartney | Hollywood Round 1 | Safe |
| Hollywood Week | "Somebody That I Used to Know" | Gotye and Kimbra | Hollywood Round 2 | Safe |
| Hollywood Week | "Somewhere" | Reri Geist | Hollywood Round 3 | Safe |
| Hawaii Round | "Levels" | Nick Jonas | Showcase Round | Advanced |
| Top 20 | "Burning" | Maggie Rogers | None | Advanced |
| Top 11 | "In My Room" | The Beach Boys | Homeward Bound | Eliminated |
After the Show[]
Sophia became noteworthy in 2025 for her viral TikTok trend "Group 7" which received international attention.[2]
Gallery[]
Click here for an image gallery of this contestant.
Trivia[]
- Sophia was born in Sydney, Australia. She and her family moved to the U.S.A. when she was 4 years old.[1]
References[]
| Season 18 |
| Finalists |
| ·Just Sam ·Arthur Gunn ·Dillon James ·Francisco Martin ·Jonny West ·Julia Gargano ·Louis Knight ·Sophia James ·Grace Leer ·Makayla Phillips ·Jovin Webb |
| Semifinalists |
| ·Faith Becnel ·Franklin Boone ·DeWayne Crocker, Jr. ·Cyniah Elise ·Kimmy Gabriela ·Aliana Jester ·Nick Merico ·Lauren Spencer-Smith ·Olivia Ximines ·Lauren Mascitti ·Margie Mays |