American Idol 2024 Contestant Guide – Meet the Contestants (Photos Videos)
Season 22 of American Idol is right around the corner, with a premiere date of Sunday, February 18th on ABC. It marks the 7th season on ABC as well as the 7th season of the same judging panel which consists of Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie. Hawaiian singer Iam Tongi won Season 21 with Christian/Country crossover singer Megan Danielle coming in second. The singers of Season 22 are looking to follow-up Season 21 with some buzz worthy performances of their own.
The top 57 for Season 22 seems to be a very strong group, and I’ve decided to take on previewing them by breaking them down into different categories, including “Notable” “Competition Veterans” and assorted genre categories.
American Idol 2024 Spoilers: Top 24 Season 22 Contestant List
This 2024 season is full of singing show returnees, both from America and internationally. This is the most international talent a season of Idol has ever had, but that’s not a huge surprise after the success of last season’s finalist Nutsa who hailed from the country of Georgia, in addition to the past few seasons featuring strong Canadian talent (Lauren Spencer-Smith, Nicolina Bozzo, Tyson Venegas, Emma Busse).
American Idol 2024 Spoilers Showstopper Contestant and Song List
It also appears that Megan Danielle started a trend as there are plenty of Christian and Gospel adjacent singers this season. It’s also no surprise that country is still one of the most prominent genres as it is also the winningest genre (3 of the 6 winners have been country males) in the ABC era.
American Idol 2024 Top 57 Preview
Notable
This category is made up of the best singers of the season–the type that typically go far. They are complete artists that I believe have the best shot at success post-show.
Abi Carter
Abi Carter is a college student studying psychology who performs on the streets of Palm Springs, California. Her voice reminds me of Season 12’s 3rd place finisher, Angie Miller (now known as Zealyn), as she has a very clear voice with an impressive range and a bit of a vocal cry and angst to her current sound. She often covers Taylor Swift, transforming other songs into her own, typically showcasing even more range than the original versions. I would be shocked if Abi doesn’t go far considering how developed her sound is as an artist
Instagram:
Tik Tok:
Viral “Tolerate It” by Taylor Swift Cover:
Blake Proehl
Blake, a pop/Christian crossover singer, is a former Minnesota Vikings practice squad player. This past year is his first not in the NFL. He turned to music his first year in the pros after he was sidelined due to injury. He has racked up more than 593K followers on Tik Tok and has also seen some streaming success with his originals. As a Vikings fan myself, I know that he led and sang at team worship events for the team’s families.
His slightly nasally tone is pleasing, radio ready, and current, and his falsetto is where his voice shines. His voice reminds me of pop singer-songwriter, Lauv. It was a bit tough to find a live performance of his, but his cover of “Love Story” shows off his pop perfection. His control is insane, having what I call built-in auto tune. His original, “think I like u” is a pop smash, and his song “Waves” was chosen as a collaboration that appeared on popular Christian band, Maverick City Music’s, album titled The Maverick Way Complete. Only time will tell how good Blake is live, but the potential is definitely there.
Instagram:
Tik Tok:
“Love Story”:
Bradley Rittmann
The prestigious Berklee School of Music is no stranger to shows like American Idol. It seems like every year we get at least one contestant who goes far from the Boston based school. Bradley, a student at Berklee who is originally from Düsseldorf, Germany, has wowed audiences with performances on the streets of Boston. He’s a soulful pop and R&B crossover singer who executes his runs with perfection. Fittingly enough, he recently met American Idol alum Jennifer Hudson, when he and his friend were asked to do an interview with WCVB Boston Channel 5 News. The three of them harmonized on “Silent Night”.
Instagram:
Tik Tok:
Jennifer Hudson Post:
“In Love With Another Man” Cover:
Brant McCullough
Since American Idol has been on ABC, there is always that one raspy country singer who America falls in love with (examples: Chayce Beckham, Noah Thompson, Colin Stough). If I had to guess who that is this season, Brant McCullough is the one that fits the bill. Brant, a junior in high school in Kinston, Alabama, is a football player who has raw singing talent. He hasn’t figured out his full potential, but at times I sense that he surprises himself by manipulating his voice to hit some of the higher notes of the songs he tackles with authenticity.
He is just starting out, with very few videos on Tik Tok, but his cover of Sam Barber’s “Straight and Narrow” got nearly 132K likes and racked up 610K views. The sky’s the limit with Brant as country singer Ernest recently pulled him out of the crowd and invited him onto the stage at his concert. Brant could very well be the country front runner this season.
Instagram:
Tik Tok:
Ernest Concert Clip:
“Straight and Narrow”
Cate Gartner
Cate, an 18-year-old from Aledo, Texas, is the best technical country singer this season. She’s got a pure storytelling voice that is bound to please both classic and current country fans. She carries herself similar to Season 20 runner-up HunterGirl and early Season 18 favorite Lauren Mascitti in that she has a very developed and mature country sound. Cate is also versatile, as she even has covers of pop star songs like Olivia Rodrigo. Her original “The Place That I Call Home,” off of her debut EP Fairytale Endings, is stunning and a true story about being a teen mother. The EP is a stepping stone for Cate as the production is simplistic and not fully baked, but it shows off her potential with some very solid songwriting. Cate is so ready for Idol. I would be shocked if she doesn’t go far this season.
Instagram:
Tik Tok:
“The Place That I Call Home”:
Emmy Russell
Emmy, is a 25-year-old Nashville based indie pop singer who displays notes of country in her sound that probably come from her grandma who was a massive country star, the late Loretta Lynn. She recently performed at the Grand Ole Opry in October of 2022 with Willie Nelson’s son Lukas Nelson to honor Loretta with a cover of “Lay Me Down” for A Celebration of the Life and Music of Loretta Lynn.
Her tone is reminiscent of indie singer Lennon Stella, formerly of the hit series Nashville, and her original music is much more in the indie pop realm. This summer she had an original go viral on Tik Tok with the Songhouse (who often collaborates with current Idols and past Idols). The song is titled “Skinny”, and is about struggling with an eating disorder. The video on Tik Tok has over 1.2 million views, 153.5K likes, and the song has racked up 457K streams on Spotify. Emmy has great musicality, her songwriting is powerful. Whether she sings country or pop music on Idol she should be fine as she has a unique and soft tone with a bit of a cry in her sound that stands out.
Instagram:
Tik Tok:
“Lay Me Down” with Lukas Nelson:
“Skinny”:
Emma Murdock
Emma is an 18-year-old singer from Salt Lake City, Utah who studies at the Berklee School of Music. Emma’s songwriting reads like a storybook, so it’s no surprise that she has a theater background. She has been in a number of productions and has since sung in some showcases in New York City. She has the ability to belt out notes with great range, but she can also tone it back for a simple but emotive folk number like her originals “Bee Sting” and “Waiting Room.” Both are masterpieces. These songs show off shades of artists like Sara Bareilles and Regina Spektor, singers who are masters at navigating theatricality while bringing true emotion to their songs.
Instagram:
Tik Tok:
“Bee Sting” Original:
Jennifer Jeffries
Jennifer is a 17-year-old from Mississippi with a super cool deep raspy tone and a unique sound. She doesn’t have the most range, but her voice is still dynamic. She also has shown she is a talented songwriter based on some of the pieces she has posted on her pages. Her voice is perfectly suited for folk music, and her style of twangy folk is becoming more and more in. Jennifer’s sound, for a 17 year old, has a maturity that will likely wow the judges. Her unique sound could propel her far into the competition.
Instagram:
Tik Tok:
“Hey Driver”:
Max Dasher
Max, a senior in high school and football player from Swannanoa, North Carolina auditioned with sister Laela who I will cover later. The two are also are related to Phil Robertson from Duck Dynasty who is their great uncle. Max is a mix of folk, country, and Americana and also performs worship songs. He sings with the type of country and folk sound that is trending with singers like Zach Bryan and Noah Kahan, who are having breakout years in 2023. His cover of Zach Bryan and Kacey Musgraves’ hit “I Remember Everything” is emotive and shows off a bit of grit. There’s something pure about Max’s talent. If he sticks to the folk and Americana type country, he could go far.
Instagram:
“I Remember Everything” Cover:
Nya
Nya, a singer who currently lives in Manhattan, is a bit theatrical at times, but her vocal choices are cool and soulful. Her vocal control might be the best of anyone this season as she is masterful and tasteful with her run choices. Her tone is peaceful yet when she belts, she shows off a lot of range and proves she means serious business. Nya also has great experience on stage having starred in musicals like Titanique (Off-Broadway), Motown: The Musical and Cleo Experience. She is one to watch as I see her being the kind of contestant who is able to take on the classic ballad and truly wow with it.
Instagram:
Tik Tok:
“Yebba’s Heartbreak”:
Scarlett Lee
Out of all the past competition show competitors, Scarlett Lee is the one that stands out the most, which is why she is the only one that landed in this category. Scarlett, a 26-year-old from Surrey, England, was the runner-up of the last season (2018) of the X Factor UK to air (Season 15). She was a bit of an underdog as she botched her first run at the title in Season 14, and even had a rough audition in Season 15. But she fought back after criticism from Simon Cowell for doing too much with her voice, as he knew she had the raw talent in her.
Scarlett takes on massive ballads and shows off her huge range with a gorgeous pop tone which cuts through any song she tackles. She has the technical talent to take on singers like Adele and Lady Gaga. As we know, international singers have an uphill battle with voters, but if any one of them can make it to the finale, it will surely be Scarlett.
Instagram:
Tik Tok:
X Factor UK Finale “Your Song” Cover:
“I Drink Wine” Cover:
Competition Veterans
This section is made up of those who have competed in TV competitions before, some have made it very far, and there experiences on other shows should benefit them.
The U.S. Competition Veterans
Alyssa Raghu
The sauce is back! Crazy, right? Yes, Alyssa Raghu has returned to American Idol for a 3rd time. The 21 year-old pop and R&B singer, who has moved to Los Angeles since her run on the show, previously competed in Season 16 where she made the top 24 and Season 17 where she finished in the top 8. There’s never been doubt that Alyssa has the voice to go the distance. But in her previous appearances on the show, she has gotten in her head and her stage presence a bit stiff even if improved in Season 17.
One real highlight of Alyssa’s run on the show was her connection with judge Katy Perry (who exclaimed “my sauce” in her first return to the show as Luke and Lionel surprised her). She went on to nail Katy’s “The One That Got Away” later in the competition, before bowing out at the top 8. Alyssa has already gotten exposure so that’s not likely her goal of trying out again. Her goal is more likely to show that she has the star power to go the distance. She is still only 21 and based on her Tik Tok originals, she has improved even further. Maybe another one of her goals for auditioning again is to pick up a recording contract, even if Idol contestants’ deals aren’t always the most favorable ones.
Instagram:
Tik Tok:
“The One That Got Away” (Season 17):
Original:
Hailey Mia
Hailey Mia, a 16-year-old pop balladeer, from Clifton, New Jersey was a fan favorite when she auditioned for The Voice Season 21 at the age of 13. She started her run on Team Ariana Grande, but Kelly Clarkson stole her in the Battles and turned her into a dark horse. She finished in 4th place overall.
Hailey sings with maturity and emotion, and she seemed to only get better under pressure after winning a sing-off during the Playoffs portion of that show. It appears she will go far on Idol as she is featured in the first promo of the season. Song choice will be key for her as she seems to shine best with tender ballads. Since her run on The Voice, she has gone viral a few times including with a rendition of Adele’s “All I Ask,” which she sang at her high school. Also, she released an original titled, “Daydreams”.
Promo Clip:
Instagram:
Tik Tok:
The Voice “Traitor” Cover:
Viral “All I Ask” Cover:
Jayna Elise Brown
Jayna, a 22-year-old from Washington D.C., is making her second go-around on American Idol after she competed last season and made it to the Top 55 showcase round where the show cut her. She had America rooting for her after producers showcased her character in Hollywood Week. During the duet round, she and Summer Joy allowed Adin Boyer to join their group with open arms after he was the odd person out. She then supported Fire Willmore on stage after Fire’s partner dropped out even though Jayna and Fire had had not rehearsed together.
Her talent was evident alongside her kindness. Hopefully the show highlights her soulful and smooth voice. She is a dynamic singer who has the ability to creatively transform songs such as Queen’s “Who Wants to Live Forever.” Before Idol, Jayna competed on America’s Got Talent, Season 11 in 2016 where she was a golden buzzer recipient and a SemiFinalist. Her post-Idol run song titled “Open Fire” has rock influences and she would be smart to showcase this side of her talent as a way to stand out. She might go even further this time around.
Instagram:
Tik Tok:
American Idol Season 21 Audition (she’s 3rd in this clip):
“Open Arms” Cover:
Quintavious Johnson
It’s been a while since we have seen 22-year-old Quintavious Johnson grace the stage. The singer who lives in Franklin, Tennessee, made it all the way to the finale in Season 9 of America’s Got Talent in 2014 at the age of 12, where he finished in 5th place. During that finale, he even got to sing with American Idol’s very own Jennifer Hudson. His finale performance of “Let It Be” by The Beatles was a highlight of his run. Of course since then, his voice has matured and gotten deeper. He has mastered a vocal growl which is suitable to the Gospel and worship music that he primarily sings. Quintavious performs at church where he is involved in ministry as well as at local events.
Instagram:
Tik Tok:
“Let It Be” AGT Finale:
“I Thank God” Cover:
Mia Makana Matthews
Nineteen-year-old Mia Makana Matthews, a singer from Alabama, may be a familiar face to you. She was on The Voice Season 19 as a part of the trio, Worth The Wait, with her sister, Jacy and mom, Tara. She often sang lead, and was the strongest vocally. The group was eliminated during the Playoffs, but they have gone on to perform at places like the Grand Ole Opry. Jacy, her younger sister, also auditioned this season for American Idol. Her voice transcends genres even if country at heart. Mia’s debut original song, “Parking Lot” sounds more in the singer-songwriter realm, but it also is reminiscent of pop country adjacent singers like Kelsea Ballerini. Her voice shines the most while soft. Mia sounds radio-ready, and it’ll be exciting to see her solo journey.
Instagram:
Tik Tok:
“Parking Lot Original”:
International Competition Veterans
Christine Umali
Christine Umali, is a 20-year-old singer from San Diego, California moved to the Philippines in 2019 to pursue her dream of singing. She competed on The Voice Teens Season 2 in the Philippines where she went by the name Tina Umali. She was on the same season of the show as last season’s American Idol finalist Tyson Venegas. Christine was cut in the Knockouts.
The singer has an angelic yet soulful sound. Genre-wise she is adjacent to vocalists like Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter who have soft and angelic tones yet great technical ability and range. She also sang OPM (Original Pilipino Music) music during her run on The Voice Teens, but I don’t expect to see her tackling OPM on American Idol. Even last season’s winner, Iam Tongi, who was known for singing some Hawaiian traditional songs, never performed fully traditional songs on the show.
Instagram:
Tik Tok:
Blind Audition:
“Tennessee Whiskey” Cover:
Jordan Anthony
Jordan, a gifted singer from Perth, Australia, competed on The Voice Australia, Season 8 in 2019 when he was just 14 years old and finished in 4th place. He also represented Australia in Junior Eurovision in 2019 where he placed 8th with his song titled “We Will Rise.” Jordan’s voice, which was quite high pitched during his run on The Voice, allowed him to belt out female ballads from the likes of Beyonce and Pink, But at 19-years-old he has since matured. With that being said, he brings great emotion to the songs he sings and has mastered his falsetto. His mid-tempo ballad “Loving U is Easy” which he released in 2023 shows his ability to write a solid pop song and is reminiscent of singers like James Arthur and past Idol drop-out Benson Boone.
Instagram:
Tik Tok:
“Listen” The Voice Finale:
“Loving U is Easy”:
Michael Rice
Michael, a singer from Hartlepool, England, may have the most singing competition experience out of anyone this season, as he has competed on the X Factor UK, Eurovision, and All Together Now. He first competed on the X Factor UK, Season 11 as a 16 year old where he was cut in Bootcamp. He then competed on All Together Now, Season 1 in 2018 and won the entire competition. Then in 2019, he represented the UK in Eurovision where he finished 26th (last place) with his song titled “Bigger Than Us” which has over 6.7 million streams on Spotify. Michael has great range and his style is very current, with his tone similar to pop singer Sam Smith. He has had a few videos on Tik Tok go over 500K views and his original “Somebody” has over 2 million streams on Spotify.
Instagram:
Tik Tok:
“Bigger Than Us” Eurovision Performance:
“Did You Even Love Me” Viral Tik Tok:
Ziggy Krassenberg
Ziggy appears to be the type of contestant casted for drama, being well-versed in the Reality TV world. Many videos of him singing appear to be very dramatic. Either way he can actually sing even if he comes off somewhat karaoke. If he makes the top 24, how will America respond to an act like Ziggy? He’s very eccentric compared to the typical American Idol contestant. He’s more like the acts X Factor featured.
Ziggy’s competition history dates back to appearing on the Dutch version of American Idol at 15 years old. He got cut before the live shows. He then appeared on The Voice of Holland, Season 10 in 2019, at the age of 18, where he was a 4-chair turn and he got cut in the Knockouts. Most recently, he won a Reality TV show called Good Luck Guys which appears to be a show similar to Survivor but with couples. Ziggy also is a viral social media sensation with 327K followers on Tik Tok and over 4 million views and nearly 150K likes on his cover of Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On”
Instagram:
Tik Tok:
The Voice of Holland Audition:
Viral “My Heart Will Go On”:
The Pop Singers
These singers fall into the pop bucket. This means that what they do tends to be somewhat contemporary and whether now or sometime ago, their type of music would be featured on Top 40 radio.
Anna Grace
Anna Grace is a Native American singer and student at University of North Carolina at Pembroke. She’s been in pageants, singing her way to the title of Teen Miss Lumbee (a pageant for Lumbee tribe members). Her big diva songs fit in with the typical pageant fare, but she’s a solid vocalist. She loves singing Whitney Houston songs and big ballads. Belting is a strength of Anna’s, and she seems a bit raw, but could blossom on the Idol stage.
Instagram:
Tik Tok:
“I Will Always Love You” Cover:
Elleigh Francom
Elleigh is a 20-year-old pop singer and hairstylist originally from Biloxi, Mississippi who now resides in Springville, Utah. In high school, she performed in show choirs, where she was a featured soloist. She’s from a talented family and often sang alongside her sister. She also is a talented dancer and was a cheerleader, and starred in various theater productions including playing Tanya in Mamma Mia. She’s got a beautiful tone with the ability to hit soulful runs as well as beautiful and pure notes quietly but confidently with her head voice. Overall, she’s got a lot of potential even though there aren’t a ton of clips of her singing online.
Instagram:
Tik Tok:
“Natural Woman” Cover:
K.B Richins
K.B. is a singer you might find recognizable as her viral videos are popular on social media. Jewell Richins, K.B.’s dad, started posting her singing in the car on YouTube and it turned into a viral sensation with the most viewed video getting 11 million views. After a heartbreak, K.B. sang an emotional cover of “I’ll Never Love Again” with her dad’s encouragement. Her going viral while singing to a parent is reminiscent of past Idol contestant Lauren Spencer-Smith who had a similar start, and her voice cuts through the music similar to how Lauren’s did. K.B’s emotional depth is incredible with a little bit of a raspy tone. She is now in college and has since started posting on her own social channels, and built a following.
Instagram:
Tik Tok:
Viral Video:
“Rumor Has It” Cover:
Kenny Holland
Before Tik Tok there was Musical.ly and before Musical.ly, there was Vine. Kenny, a 28-year-old singer, was a star on Vine with over 1 million followers on that platform until it was shut down in 2017. One of his covers of Jason Derulo’s “Whatcha Say” with his sisters from Vine has over 2.9 million views on YouTube Shorts. He even opened for the late Aaron Carter on his tour. He still has a great following on Instagram with 856K followers, and he also had some streaming success with his 2015 song, “Lifeline” which had over 7.6 million streams. Kenny’s voice has features a rawness that is pleasant, with full emotion coming across. He also has great musicality with his recent original music being accompanied by compelling piano playing.
Instagram:
Tik Tok:
“Whatcha Say” Viral Vine Cover:
“Play On” Original:
Mackenzie Sol
Mackenzie may have found himself auditioning for The X Factor UK at the age of 4 in 2005, but since that audition didn’t count, I didn’t include him in the competition veterans section. Now 23, Mackenzie has developed a pop sound and a viral following. If you combine his two Tik Tok accounts, he has over 13 million followers, and on Instagram, he has 1 million followers. Mackenzie posts comedic videos with his mom alongside his singing.
His EDM flavored song “After Midnight” with Slushii shows off his crazy good falsetto and his future as a popstar. Mackenzie is a bit soulful, and could be compared to pop singers like Justin Bieber and Shawn Mendes. A video of him singing “Purple Rain” to his grandpa on Tik Tok has 7.8 million views and over 808K likes. If Mackenzie makes the live voting rounds, it’ll be interesting to see how his following impacts the votes. Being originally from the UK may hurt his chance at garnering support.
Instagram:
Tik Tok:
“Purple Rain” Viral Cover:
X Factor Clip:
McKenna Breinholt
McKenna Breinholt is a 24-year-old singer from Gilbert, Arizona. She has been a featured vocalist with string/choir group Cinematic Pop since she was 16. Their cover of Hallelujah went viral 8 years ago with McKenna singing lead. The video has over 13 million views on YouTube and she has gone on to reprise the cover with the likes of groups like the Phoenix Symphony. Cinematic Pop also appeared on AGT where McKenna was one of the lead singers in their audition before the group dropped out.
She also has seen some streaming success with her songs, “Chicago” and “I Wanted You” each having over 2.6 million streams on Spotify. Each song features EDM sounds infused in them. Something about McKenna gives me a Madison Watkins (Season 19) vibe. She’s a singer with some soul and a somewhat old-school sound who also can tackle modern songs. She is also one who might fare well live as she seems more than ready. She is a very skilled vocalist.
Instagram:
Tik Tok:
Cinematic Pop Audition:
Hallelujah 2022:
Nick Connors
Nick is a 22-year-old pop and soul singer from Pasadena, Texas who has had some viral success. He has 639K followers on Tik Tok, and one of his most viewed videos which has 2.9 million likes and 17.6 views, is an artist challenge where he shows off his massive range by imitating the inflections of various artists voices. Nick also made Judge Cuts of America’s Got Talent in Season 14. I did not include him in the competition veterans section since his airtime was so little. He more recently performed as a part of a San Antonio Spurs Artists Showcase at halftime where he showed off his impressive range on Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You.” His falsetto and high notes are bound to be crowd pleasing on Idol. The original music he has released features notes of blues and soul in it as well, showing off some versatility.
Instagram:
Tik Tok:
Viral Artist Challenge:
Spurs Artist Showcase:
AGT Judge Cuts:
Ricky Moyer
Ricky Moyer, is a pop singer at heart, but his approach brings some theater and drama to his vocal. He has a theater background, graduating from Baldwin Wallace University with a degree in musical theater, and he starred in productions of American Idiot and The Wild Party. His tone is reminiscent of Season 17 competitor Jeremiah Lloyd Harmon, and his style is almost in the realm of a more serious version of Season 19’s Beane. He is still very much a pop singer while bringing theater aspects to his sound. His tone could make him a huge threat in the competition as displayed in his “Dancing On My Own” cover which shows off his unique sound and unique, emotional phrasing.
Instagram:
Tik Tok:
“Dancing On My Own”:
Sophia Ava Marie
Sophia, a singer from Las Vegas, is one of the youngsters of the competition as she only recently turned 15. She is a bit of a jack of all trades as she sings everything from pop to country to blues. There is one thing that ties all the styles she tackles and that is her old-school vibe. At the age of 13, as an NBA Summer League finalist, Sophia performed the U.S. National Anthem as well as the Canadian National Anthem at NBA Summer League games. Sophia’s jazz influenced tone fits well with singers like Lana Del Ray, as modern numbers like her cover of “Young and Beautiful” demonstrates.
Instagram:
Tik Tok:
“Young and Beautiful” Cover:
Victoria Johnson
Victoria, a 16-year-old from Boca Raton, Florida, is another gifted young singer. Recently, she won “South Florida Kids Got Talent.” She is very soulful, and technique wise very impressive. I’m not sure if Victoria knows who she is as an artist, but she’s got some of the best vocal technique out of all of the contestants so far. Some of this technique may come from working with vocal coach Jodie Langel. Langel is a popular social media personality who has racked up 1.3 million followers by posting videos of her coaching students, including Victoria. One of Jodie’s most popular videos features Victoria singing “I Will Survive.” It has garnered 3 million views and 437K likes.
Instagram:
Tik Tok:
Viral Jodie Langel Video:
“Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” Cover:
The Country Singers
Country is the genre to beat as America has a soft spot for country singers 3 out of the 6 ABC Idol era winners have been country, and the three seasons that didn’t have country winners had country finalists. Check out this season’s country singers.
Dawson Slade Mitchell
Dawson, a 17-year-old singer originally from Moulton, Alabama is a very twangy country singer. He has been posting singing videos for years, starting on a YouTube page a little over six years ago. He moved to Nashville in May of 2023, and soon after he became a father. It appears that his family will be a big part of his Idol story as his reveal post shows that he brought his son to his audition. This past fall, he released his first original song to streaming platforms titled “Home In My Heart.” This and his originals on his socials have a very modern country sound and many of them are mid-tempo ballads.
He may be one of the country singers to watch out for as he was featured in the first promo of the season. He also recently joined country singer Trey Lewis on stage for his final tour date for a cover of “Friends in Low Places” by Garth Brooks.
Instagram:
Tik Tok:
Unreleased Original:
Emery Robbins
Emery, a singer and church facilities worker, from Ocala, Florida, has a compelling country tone, with more range than some of the other country contestants this season. His tone is soulful and has a nasally rasp to it. There’s a smoothness to his rasp that reminds me of early 2000s country pop singers as his singing isn’t as full of growls like a lot of raspy country singers today who sound more like Chris Stapleton. Emery uses his unique tone on songs, putting his own stamp on them, which could allow him to stand out amongst this season’s country talent.
Instagram:
Tik Tok:
“You Look So Good in Love”:
Jaxon Wayne Boardman
Jaxon is a country-rock singer from Monticello, Arkansas who graduated from the University of Arkansas at Monticello in 2022. The singer moved to Nashville this past spring, and this past fall, Jaxon released his first original titled “If I Was U” which is a modern country-pop song which could fit on today’s country radio. It shows off Jaxon’s power as well as his subtle nod to rock music. If Jaxon is able to excel vocally on Idol, he probably has the best shot to make it outside of the show. He also has great range compared to his other male country competitors.
Instagram:
Tik Tok:
“What Hurts The Most” Cover:
Kennedy Reid
Kennedy is a 23 year-old mortician and funeral director from Kentucky with a vintage country sound. It’s not often that a singer like her makes it this far. She is a total throwback, and a bit raw vocally. She is an experienced stage performer who often performs at the Grand Ole Country Music Show in West Point, Kentucky where takes on old-school country and soul numbers. In November, she also got to open for country hitmaker, Gene Watson. Her style is along the lines of old-school country legends like Patsy Cline as her tone has that achy country sound that is rooted in very traditional composition.
Instagram:
Tik Tok:
“I Will Always Love You” Cover:
Mikayla Paige Ochs
Mikayla, a singer originally from Beaumont, California who is now based in Utah, has a pure country-pop sound. Her first original song, “Those Boots” with Daniel Beddoes sounds like a country hit. Style wise, her vocal firepower is reminiscent of Lauren Alaina. But she also fits in the current country landscape. She performs a lot around Utah and it shows in her impressive stage presence. She has a star power that could carry her deep in the competition.
Instagram:
Tik Tok:
“Those Boots” with Daniel Beddoes:
Triston Harper
Triston, a 15 year-old singer from Mobile, Alabama, is the youngest of the country talent this season. He’s very raw, but we’ve had his type, like Hannah Everhart, make it pretty far. That being said, he sings with a mature, deep crooning country voice that has some rasp on top of it. He’s been performing since he was very young and at the age of 12, he was featured on the news, serenading his class, singing “That’s All Right” by Elvis Presley. He tackles modern country songs, but you can tell he is heavily influenced by the classics.
Instagram:
Tik Tok:
“Son of a Sinner” Cover:
Will Moseley
Will, a singer from Hazlehurst, Georgia, has sheer country power and rasp that is reminiscent of last season’s surprising dark horse, Warren Peay. His voice simply cuts through and that power could carry him far as one of the stronger country vocalists. His originals “Coming Down” and “Gone for Good” are giving Creed vibes, as well as 90s and 2000s country rock. Will, too, was featured in the first promo of the season. Live vocals can be big in a competition setting, and Will has the vocal talent that could lead him to go far. It also helps that he performs often across the south.
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“Gone for Good”:
The Singer-Songwriters
These are the singers of the bunch who take creative freedoms, and some of them would fall under the indie music bucket. They are either talented singer-songwriters or have a sound that’s uniquely them.
Jack Blocker
Talking about singers who stand out, Jack Blocker, an indie folk singer from Dallas, Texas, surely fits the bill. Jack is intriguing despite being a bit polarizing due to a piercing and manic vibe. At heart he is a folk singer, but he sings anything from R&B to Country. He also is the frontman of the band Rightfield whose song “Gone!” has over 1 million streams on Spotify. His work with his band is definitely more alternative pop sounding, similar to bands like The 1975. I can’t wait to see if Jack brings the manic energy and unpredictable song and vocal choices of his social media videos to the Idol stage.
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“El Jefe” Original:
Julia Gagnon
Julia is another singer who is extremely versatile as she sings pop, soul, theater, and folk music. She’s had a few viral Tik Tok’s including one where she sings “When I Look At You” in her dorm which racked up 2.3 million views and 745K likes. Her range is quite impressive. This past summer she won Central Maine Idol which had a $10,000 prize, and I’m guessing that got herself a front pass to Idol auditions. During the contest, she beat out fellow finalist Sierra Harris who was a contestant on American Idol last season. Julia is also quite the talented writer as her song titled “Fall” with her duo Chocolate Milk is easy going and beautiful. It’s one of my favorite originals out of the whole bunch.
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Viral “When I Look At You”:
“Fall” Original:
Laela Dasher
Laela, is a 20-year-old singer, and the sister of Max Dasher who was featured above. They often write and sing songs together. She recently got married, and is a student at Lipscomb University in Nashville. Laela writes her own folksy music while also singing worship music. She is a part of LO Worship, a worship band that is a part of the Live Original ministry (a female worship group founded by her cousin Sadie Robertson Huff of Duck Dynasty). The group is quite popular and their song “Open” which Laela sings the lead in has 6.7 million streams on Spotify.
Although Laela has a soft and delicate tone with a slight hint of rasp that may be suited for folksy music, she has more power than I initially found as her worship music often shows her belting and losing herself in the music. She could be a dark horse this season.
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“Open” Live:
Micaela McCall
Micaela is a music instructor from Santa Barbara, California. Her style is a bit of a throwback, and she likely would have fit nicely on a season of Idol in the 2000s. Her vocal approach is slightly reminiscent of Season 20’s Sam Moss. Micaela is naturally talented and has a singer-songwriter-esque sound, similar to vocalists like Norah Jones. She’s a bit jazzy, easy to listen to and can flat out sing. It’s no wonder she went viral while busking, singing “I Dreamed a Dream” which racked up 878K views and 134K likes and also led to Idol’s talent scouts reaching out to her. She also has years of experience with her first covers being posted nearly 14 years ago. I’m not sure if Micaela is what Idol is looking for, but she’s polished and more than ready.
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“I Dreamed A Dream”:
The R&B Singers
Whether it’s classic or current, these singers have r & b influences.
Alto Moon
Alto Moon is an Atlanta-based R&B singer. His song “Mars” has over 1.9 million streams on Spotify. He mixes electronic sounds with R&B infusing his music with stylistic flair. He’s an entertainer at heart. I sense some Prince and Janelle Monae influences based on his style which also has a bit of funk to it. The stage name alone sounds like a star, and although he often brings entertainment to the table on uptempo tracks, he also is able to reign it in and deliver an incredible vocal.
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“Dumby” Original:
BK Witdavoice
Stage names have become a thing for American Idol singers over the years like former winner Just Sam, and BK Witdavoice lives up to his. Brian King, a singer from Pine Bluff, Arkansas who studies at the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff, also known as BK has a very pure sounding voice with excellent control over his runs. He primarily tackles R&B songs, but he’s also got gospel in his repertoire. Vocally, he may be the strongest R&B singer of the season. He’s got a classic R&B sound, and in his reveal post, he stands by a Jennifer Hudson poster, and it doesn’t surprise me that he might be inspired by her as she is one of the greatest R&B vocalists to ever grace the Idol stage.
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“Diamonds” Cover:
Hayley Rashel
Hayley Rashel is a 20 year-old singer from Ridgeland, Mississippi. She attends Tougaloo College where she plays volleyball. Her musical style is a mix of R&B with pop influences and there’s a hint of jazziness in her tone. Her phrasing is truly beautiful, and she’s a master of the softer parts of her voice, hitting beautiful notes in her head voice in stride. According to her website, she began writing music at the age of eight, so she’s also a talented songwriter. She is a member of ASCAP. She released her first song in 2022, “If I Would Have Known,” a song about losing a loved one without being able to say goodbye, which shows off her beautiful tone.
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“At Your Best”:
Ty’esha Lashay
Ty’esha is a 22-year-old singer who is an aspiring plus size model from Huntsville, Alabama. She doesn’t have a ton of professional singing content besides tackling vocal challenges, but what I have been able to hear shows off her raw talent and her ability to hit runs flawlessly. In these run challenges, she is able to hit difficult runs by singers like Jazmine Sullivan and other talented R&B artists. She also has an impressive range that she unleashes when she lets loose.
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“Mary Did You Know”:
Gospel/Christian
These singers have spiritual ties and bring that into their music. Gospel has been a genre on the show throughout the years, but more recently Christian Contemporary Music (last season’s Megan Danielle) has also graced the Idol stage.
Hunter Behrman
Hunter is a youth pastor at New Life Church in Liberty Hill, Texas. He is a very passionate Christian contemporary singer with a big range with the ability to belt it out. Hunter competed in Season 3 of the national Christian music competition, Hallelujah, where he made the filmed top 10 round in Burlington, Iowa and competed for a $20,000 prize. He did not end up winning, but regardless, making it to the final stages of the competition was an impressive accomplishments. Popular Christian artist Brandon Lake is clearly one of Hunter’s influences, as he covers the artist a lot.
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“Too Good Not to Believe” Hallelujah Audition
Julian Cross
Julian is a Memphis based Gospel singer. His Grandma is Wendy Rene, who recorded for Stax Records and is best known for “After Laughter (Comes Tears).” He is a graduate of University of Memphis and is pursuing his masters at LSU. He has released a few originals, and went viral when the Queen of Gospel, Shirley Caesar handed him the mic, impressing her with his singing. This video has 848K views and 160K likes on Tik Tok. He has the ability to pull off complex riffs and runs, possessing a deep and rich soulful tone.
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“I Call You Holy” Cover:
Justice Murphy
Justice, a student at Alabama State University studying Biology, is a singer with untapped potential. She truly makes you feel her singing, and has natural talent. Justice is a church singer who also was chosen as a soloist to front the Montgomery, Alabama based First Baptist Church choir. She tackles a variety of genres from Gospel to R&B to Pop and even some musical theater music. Additionally, she has starred in theater productions like Dreamgirls while at Alabama State. In her impressive cover of Beyoncé’s “Halo,” she maintained a beautiful and pure tone despite singing off the cuff. She seems to balance showing her vocal prowess while also reigning it back when necessary.
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“Halo” cover:
Odell Bunton Jr.
At 29 years old, Odell, a singer from Arlington, Texas just makes the age cutoff. According to his website bio, he began singing with his mother at the age of seven. Odell made the top 6 of Season 6 of BET’s Sunday Best in 2013, at the age of 18. Odell hasn’t released much music since the show, but he did release a song titled “Look At Me Now” under the name Big Two4, and he has teased a few other songs. Although he is a Gospel singer at heart, his sound blends hip hop and modern R&B into his gospel sound. He is a talented songwriter and has great stage presence from the clips I’ve seen.
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“What You Won’t Do for Love” Cover:
Reagan Mills
Reagan is a 24 year-old singer from Ennis, Texas and, as a pastor’s kid, has been performing in church for years. Based on a Tik Tok post, it appears that his pastor dad has passed away, so that may be a part of his back story on Idol. He has a fairly high pitched voice and an impressive set of pipes. Reagan released an album titled Purpose in 2021, with several uptempo gospel songs on it. Based on his Tik Tok, as well as some stage performances, he is a big personality, and I expect that to come across on stage. It appears that he travels across the U.S. to different places of worship where he performs.
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“Completely Yes” Cover:
Roman Collins
Roman Collins, who also goes by the name Romansings, is a singer from Los Angeles where he studies at the Musicians Institute and serves as the Minister of Music at Calvary Baptist Church in Hawthorne, California where his father is the lead pastor. According to a website bio, he has shared the stage with famous singers like Kelly Price, Childish Gambino, Sheila E, and more. Roman is the best Gospel vocalist this season as his riffs are crazy good and mind blowing. His transitions from a smooth tone to a tone with grit are seamless. Roman released an EP in 2022 titled Champion’s Cry which showcases how well Roman’s dynamic voice also translates in the studio.
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“Something About The Name of Jesus”:
Rock
Rock is a genre that used to be bigger on American Idol, but in recent years it seems to have faded a bit. This year has a few intriguing rock singers, and each rock singer brings something a bit different and unique to the competition.
Ajii
Ajii is a grunge and punk rock singer from Brooklyn, NY where he fronts the band TMRW NVR PROMISED. If you look up his band, the music is extremely explicit and some of the subject matters are dark. His voice and band likely has influences from grunge bands like Nirvana, and at times they infuse hip hop sounds in their songs similar to Linkin Park. His tone is intriguing with a lot of rasp which is perfect for this style of music. But he also has surprising amounts of range as well. We haven’t really had a singer like Ajii on American Idol.
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“Misery Loves Company” Original:
Isaiah Case
Isaiah Case, who appears to now be going by the single name of CASE, is a singer and worship leader from Jacksonville, Illinois. He is a versatile singer with his style of music having elements of blues, rock, country, and he ties in his spiritual background as well. As with a lot of raspy sounding singers, he has some Chris Stapleton influences to his sound. His grit cuts through the music, he’s a good guitar player, and there’s something about his sound that is simply electrifying. His debut single, “What Could I Do” is coming out on the day of this season’s premiere.
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“Set Your Eyes on Me” Original:
Kayko
Samuel Kelly-Cohen, also known as Kayko, is an alternative pop and rock singer who is based in Nashville.. His sound might be more pop, but there’s angst and some rock vibes to his style that landed him in the rock category. Samuel’s sound is reminiscent of early 2000s bands and bands like WALK THE MOON and Bastille who had hits in the 2010s. His song “Crash and Burn” from his 2022 album YOUR BEST FRIEND’S FAVORITE BAND has over 400K streams on Spotify. He is a frequent collaborator and songwriter at The Songhouse, where several Idol alums and contestants have written songs and posted onto their viral Tik Tok page.
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“How to Live Without You” Live original:
KBlocks
KBlocks is a singer from Montgomery, Alabama. Her voice sounds a bit more in the R&B and soul realm, but her recent original music is within the rock genre and she often puts “rocker chick” on her postings, and that’s why I’ve placed her in the rock category even if most of her covers don’t appear to be rock. Her latest song, an explicit tune titled “I Don’t Care,” explores her rock sound, similar to Machine Gun Kelly’s latest pop-punk efforts. She also does sing R&B and pop music, and what stands out about KBlocks is her unique phrasing. At times, the way she makes songs her own, is similar to last season’s Lucy Love, who also had a very unique sound.
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TEMS “Higher” Cover:
Nars Taylor
Nars, a Los Angeles based singer and talented musician will appeal to fans of classic soft rock music. His retro vibe matches his musical style, with a voice that is a mix of soul and rock. The singer’s rasp it reminiscent to classic rock singers like Bryan Adams. What’s interesting about Nars is his musicianship. Most of his videos are actually him playing the keyboard to hits, putting spins on the instrumentation. He also plays the electric and acoustic guitar. He has released two originals–his latest being titled “Martini” is smooth and funky and shows off a nice falsetto. It’ll be interesting to see if Nars is too much of a throwback to go far on the competition, or if that throwback style is embraced.
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“I Don’t Want to Miss A Thing” Cover:
The Theater Singer
A theater singer through and through, and although other contestants have theater influences, Ava is the only one who fits squarely into the genre.
Ava Nicole Frances
Ava is a New York City based singer who attends NYU where she studies musical theater. She has won two Broadway World Cabaret Awards–one for Best Debut Show in 2022 and one for Best Junior Performer in 2020. In 2020, she released a live album titled Mutual Admiration with musical theater actress Charlo Crossley. This album was recorded from a Cabaret show she performed with Charlo at the famed 54 Below supper club. She also was top 5 in 2021 of Season 2 of Broadway World’s Next On Stage Competition. She has starred in a number of theater productions including Hairspray, and Triple Threats in London. Ava has a booming voice but with a very theatrical sound. I haven’t been able to find a current contemporary cover from her. In past years, theatrical singers have been heavily critiqued for sounding “too Broadway.” Will Ava see the same criticism?
