‘American Idol’: See how winners Candice Glover, Scotty McCreery celebrated July 4

On Thursday night, Washington DC was buzzing even more than usual. It was Independence Day, for one, and thousands upon thousands of people were packed into the nation’s capital in order to hear performances for “A Capitol 4th,” the annual event that takes place on the West Lawn that brings together some of the biggest stars in music.

With the presence of a live orchestra, true singers are prioritized more so than what you traditionally hear on pop radio, and with that in mind, there was a distinct “American Idol” presence this year courtesy of two previous champs: Candice Glover from this past season, and also Scotty McCreery from season 10.

Rather than tackling songs that were patriotic in nature written about the holiday, the two singers opted instead for their current singles. Candice belted out a rendition of “I Am Beautiful,” the coronation song that she performed on the Fox series this past May. (Her next major single off of her album will likely be revealed on tour.) Meanwhile, Scotty performed a song in “See You Tonight” that he performed on the “American Idol” results show earlier this year.

Another performer at the event was outgoing show judge Mariah Carey, and she was a part of a roster that also include such legends as Barry Manilow and Neil Diamond. This show is one of the few live concert events that airs around the country, as many other specials (including one on NBC) contain a very significant amount of pre-tape.

What do you think about these performances? Be sure to share your thoughts with a comment below! If you want to read more “American Idol” updates from contestants past and present, just be sure to check out the link here.

Photo: Fox, videos via Mjsbigblog