'American Idol' season-13 winner says his debut single from the show is 'utter crap' and a 'nightmare' to perform

When Caleb Johnson was announced as the winner of "American Idol" season 13, he was shocked — and dreaded what came next.

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Ahead of the show's 20th anniversary, Johnson told Insider that he was "really bummed" because coming in first meant he had to sing his winner's single

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Feeling like he got saddled with a "cheesy piece of crap," Johnson said he tried to fight the producers on it before finale night. But they wouldn't budge.

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In addition to Johnson's personal dislike for the song, he was frustrated when he discovered that it was recycled from another "Idol" finalist.

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In 2012, "Idols South Africa" runner-up Mark Haze recorded and released a version of Hawkins' "As Long as You Love Me" for his debut album.

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"How is that even possible that somebody else releases the same song in another country?" Johnson told Insider

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