Right around the halfway mark during the 2026 Rose Parade on Thursday morning, Jan. 1, singer John Foster will give a live performance on the Explore Louisiana float.
Explore Louisiana, the official travel planning website and brand for the state, announced that the Louisiana native and country singer would be joining the float in August.
“Representing my home state is such an honor,” Foster said in a video announcing his performance.
“Really early on in my music career, probably early 2023, I can remember seeing Lainey Wilson representing Louisiana at the Rose Parade and thinking, ‘Man, that would be really cool if one day I had the honor to represent my state at such a great event at that.’”
Also read: Rose Parade 2026 lineup: Your guide to every float, band and equestrian unit, in order
If it’s the first you’re hearing of Foster — or you need a refresher — here’s who he is, what he’s known for and what he is up to now:
The basics: Foster is a 19-year-old country music singer-songwriter from Addis, Louisiana.
Where you’ve seen him: Foster rose to fame on the 23rd season of American Idol, where he finished as the runner-up contestant. He combines a rich, classic country sound with heartfelt storytelling rooted in small-town life, whose style can be described as neo-traditional, according to his website.
What he’s been up to: Foster has released several singles in the past few years, boasting over 25,000 monthly listeners on Spotify despite having never released an album. His most recent single, “Little Goes A Long Way,” was released in October of 2025.
He has several shows in the books for 2026, kicking off his post-parade agenda with a Jan. 9 performance at the Opry as part of the venue’s 100-year anniversary celebration.