American Idol's Madison Watkins announces engagement with exclusive photos

Alex WestSun, May 10, 2026 at 9:00 AM UTC

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Madison Watkins and fiance

Madison Watkins announced her engagement (Image: Melany McAngus)

American Idol's beloved Madison Watkins exclusively announced her engagement to Express US.

Madison dished about her relationship with Elisha Qalo, including the sweet way he proposed. The Christian pop star explained that the intimate proposal was a callback to their past. "There is a beautiful horse farm with a pond in our City in Franklin, Tennessee. The first week we were dating I took Eli there, and while we were walking around, I told him that I came to that spot all the time and pray for my future husband," she said.

Madison, 31, added, "A year and a half later, he remembered me saying that and proposed on the dock of that very pond. I was so surprised and completely shocked! All my friends had flown in the night before for my birthday, and little did I know, I would be getting proposed to the next day. It was so beautiful and heartfelt!" It comes as American Idol announced a few major shakeups to their show.

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The announcement comes six months after Eli's romantic move - and their fully in wedding planning mode now. "Things are all happening so fast!" she confessed. "Planning a wedding is not for the weak!"

Eli was born and raised on Oahu, and he served in the United States Army for the past 10 years, including a recent 9 month stint overseas. He was recently promoted to Sargeant.

The pair got engaged near their home in Tennessee (Image: Melany McAngus)

"Eli is the most private person you will ever meet. His job in the military is literally to not be seen or heard while he is on missions, and after meeting me, things have changed pretty quickly," she explained.

The couple met on the dance floor - not surprising for the electric musician.

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Madison is known for cracking the top 12 on American Idol in 2021. She released a debut EP, "Letting Go," in 2025 and a new single, "God You Are," in April 2026. The song was a smash hit on TikTok, where it received millions of listens.

Her debut was recorded in Stockholm and London with music producer Frequency (who previously worked with Rihanna and Tate McRae). It blends classic soul and R&B.

Another hit, "Curls," generated over 1.5 billion plays.

After her time on American Idol, the star moved to Los Angeles, where she struggled with her mental health while in an abusive relationship. Songwriting was an escape for Madison, helping her navigate her emotional journey.

They plan to have Hawaiian food and music at the wedding (Image: Melany McAngus)

Amid her budding career, Madison knew a relationship could be difficult, but Eli seemed to take her fame in stride. "For someone who has never been in the public eye, he has handled everything with so much grace and gratitude. I truly feel like he is my better half and very grounding in my life. He definitely prefers the private life, but I think we have a good mix of both living in Tennessee!" she said.

When it comes ot her 'must-haves,' Madison dished that they'll absolutely have Hawaiian food and music at their wedding to reflect his culture.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”