After 24-year-old American Idol contestant Josh King was eliminated from season 23 on May 5, 2025, host Ryan Seacrest shared a touching story that revealed Josh’s longtime dedication to helping others.

King, who captured hearts when he tried to give up his place in the top seven so that 16-year-old Mattie Pruitt could stay in the competition, has a long history of selflessness — especially back home in Charlotte, North Carolina.

On May 7, Seacrest’s charitable foundation posted an Instagram video celebrating Josh’s behind-the-scenes impact. Long before auditioning for Idol, Josh regularly volunteered at Levine Children’s Hospital in Charlotte, where he entertained young patients at Seacrest Studios, a multimedia space launched in 2013 for kids to engage with celebrities, make content, and have fun.

The Ryan Seacrest Foundation captioned the post: “Josh King may be saying goodbye to the @AmericanIdol stage, but his music journey is just beginning 🎤💫 When he’s not performing for millions, he’s bringing joy, music, and laughter to kids at @LevineChildrens through ‘Tunes at Two’ in #SeacrestStudios. We can’t wait to see where his talent leads him next.”

In the Instagram clip, fans saw a conversation between Seacrest and Josh during his Idol audition, which had been filmed last fall and aired in March. Josh shared that he began volunteering at the hospital in 2017, after his sister’s medical complications led to a long hospital stay.

“I’d go in every Tuesday, set up my piano, and play for an hour,” Josh told Seacrest. “We called it Tuesday Tunes at Two. The kids would come down from their rooms to listen and watch.”

Even though Josh’s Idol run has come to an end, it’s clear his passion for using music to lift spirits will continue to shape his journey — both on and off the stage.