Nepalese American singer falls just short of winning 'American Idol'

For a moment, it looked like Nepalese American Arthur Gunn had won American Idol. When Ryan Seacrest announced Gunn, 22, as one of the two finalists, his family was screaming, dancing around the living room and confetti was raining.

Seacrest had to remind him that the other finalist was Just Sam, who was eventually crowned the winner.

Filipino American Francisco Martin, another fan favorite, made the top five but was eliminated along with piano teacher Jonny West and construction worker Dillon James.

From the auditions throughout the elimination process, Martin was a favorite of judge Lluke Bryan, who bid the college student goodbye.  He said he was “heartbroken that this is the last time we’ll get to hear you perform like this on ‘American Idol.’”

Under the social distancing rules forced American Idol to alter its usual format with artists singing in front of a live audience. All the performers sang from their living rooms and back porches making the climax suspenseful, but less exhilirating after the winner was announced.

Gunn, who was born in Kathmunandu, Nepal, but lives in Wichita, Kansas now, captured fans and the judgess' attention with his unique style that's hard to categorize, a cross between country, reggae and rock.

After singing his third version of "Have You Ever Seen the Rain," Gunn (a.k.a. Dibesh Pokharel) won over Bryan, who favored Martin. “Way to nail every aspect of ‘Idol.’ You have checked every ‘American Idol’ box that you need to check in my opinion. I mean, you’re a star,” Bryan gushed, continuing the show’s fixation on Gunn moving from Nepal to America to pursue his singing dreams. “If there are any more like you in Kathmandu, please get on the phone and call them and tell them to come out next year.”