AMERICAN IDOL's Zoanette Johnson Slays LION KING's 'Circle Of Life'

Last night, American Idol featured one of the most thrilling performances of a musical theatre standard in many a moon - Zoanette Johnson's positively spine-tingling take on the "The Circle Of Life" from THE LION KING.

The song was famously originally composed by rocker Elton John and famed lyricist Tim Rice for the 1994 feature film THE LION KING and has since gone on to feature prominently as the opening number of Julie Taymor's worldwide hit adaptation of the property, which is still running on Broadway to this day, more than fifteen years later.

Zoanette Johnson participated in the sudden death round last night, but thankfully made it to the next round of competition unscathed thanks in no small part to this truly titanic and quite tremendous take on the iconic film and theatre theme.

AMERICAN IDOL is currenly in its twelfth season on FOX and judges include Randy Jackson, Keith Urban, Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj. It airs Wednesdays and Thursdays.

View Zoanette Johnson speak about her upbringing in wartorn Liberia and the importance of this performance to her people back home before taking in the thrilling showstopper itself.