“American Idol” returns to ABC on Sunday at 7 p.m. CT, and viewers in Alabama will have an extra impetus to tune in.
At least four singers from our state will be featured in the auditions this year, starting with Tyler N. Allen of Mobile. (He’s scheduled to appear on Sunday’s season premiere.) All of the Alabama contestants are likely to please the judges, according to mjsbigblog, a reliable fan site that includes info, tips, recaps, reviews and more.
Early episodes of Season 20 have been filmed in advance, and spoiler information is available for folks who enjoy that kind of thing. We’ll say no more about it here, but encourage you to keep an eye out for the following “Idol” hopefuls during the audition episodes.
Who he is: Singer, guitarist, harmonica player from Pell City.
Social media: He’s on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and more.
mjsbigblog says: “An old soul from Pell City, Alabama, he is a 17-year-old high schooler during the day who is a rockstar by night. His style doesn’t seem current, but there’s been a few retro successes in the ABC era Idol like Laine Hardy who performed a lot of classics. … Most of them also took on some contemporary hits, so it’ll be interesting to how Tristen approaches song choice on the show. If fans want a throwback artist, Tristen is going to bring that throwback style to the Idol stage in Season 20.”
Who she is: Singer, songwriter, aspiring actress from Montgomery.
Social media: Her website includes links to Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube and more.
mjsbigblog says: “Lady K has gone viral with a few covers, and she may be one of the best soul singers we’ve seen in recent years. A lot of singers on TikTok take on singers like Jazmine Sullivan for her run challenges, but often they lack the requisite soul and rawness. However, Kezia has got that natural rasp that soul singers possess, combined with technical prowess. It’s shocking that Kezia isn’t already a recording artist because her voice is so studio-ready!”
Alabama connection: Singer-songwriter from Muscle Shoals.
Social media: She’s on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook.
mjsbigblog says: “Her tone is so pretty and suits a lot of genres. She has performed covers of songs from R&B, country, pop and more genres.”
mjsbigblog also says: “Nineteen-year-old Cadence Baker from Muscle Shoals, Alabama, brought her father Shane to her audition. Her name has a story behind it. Her dad used to be the lead singer of a Christian rock band called Cadence. He has also been signed as a recording artist and songwriter for other Christian publishing companies in both Nashville and Alabama.
“One promo, she’s spotted singing alongside him and in another she’s celebrating her golden ticket. Cadence, a talented singer-songwriter, is reminiscent of last year’s Laila Mach as her voice is extremely emotive and current. And she’s a solid songwriter. She describes herself as a soul and R&B singer in her Instagram bio, but she has the chops to take on both pop and country as well.”
Who he is: Preacher, singer, writer, actor from Mobile.
Social media: He’s on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and more. His TNA Ministries has a website and Facebook page.
mjsbigblog says: “Tyler has Judge Katy Perry in tears in the promos with Luke Bryan acknowledging that ‘Katy is an absolute wreck.’ The 24-year-old from Mobile, Alabama talks about his nephew who passed away recently and auditions with a song that he would sing to him to rock him to sleep. This audition is the most anticipated of the season and is sure to be an emotional one.
“Tyler is an ordained elder in his church and according to his website, he has sung all around the world including Cuba and New York. He has had a few viral videos and has stage presence and energy like no other. I’m excited to see him bring both his tender side like this Whitney cover and his entertaining ‘bring the house down’ side that can be seen in many church performances like this viral one from Facebook. He’s one to watch. Based on the videos I have seen; he is the most poised performer of the season.”
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George is Digismak’s reported cum editor with 13 years of experience in Journalism