The Journey Of A Star: Celebrating Colin Stough’s Thrilling Ride On ‘American Idol’
Re-live Colin Stough’s memorable run on ‘American Idol.’
Colin Stough, Photos Courtesy American Idol, ABC
Colin Stough left a lasting impression on American Idol viewers with his down-to-Earth demeanor and impressive vocal skills.
The 18-year-old Mississippi native tried his hand at the show after his mom, Nara, decided to sign him up for the competition.
When he sang Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Simple Man” in front of Idol judges Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie, and Katy Perry, it was clear why she forced her son to pursue American Idol.
“That’s what American Idol is about, right there!” Bryan shouted following his performance as Richie chimed in exclaiming, “I love it!”
“Colin, you’ve got the magic in you… 100% and you got the stardust,” Perry told him.
“You really do have the stardust,” Richie added.
Stough earned a “yes” from all three of the judges and got himself a golden ticket to Hollywood.
For the next round, he performed “Stone” by Whiskey Myers. He also joined forces with Megan Danielle to cover Ed Sheeran’s “Dive.” His solo performance featured a cover of “Cold” by Chris Stapleton.
When in Hawaii, Stough once again impressed with a performance of “Midnight Train to Memphis” by The SteelDrivers. He advanced to the next round and for his Top 20 performance, he sang “Pretty Heart” by Parker McCollum.
In celebration of advancing to the next round, he performed “Dancing On My Own” by Robyn.
After performances his Top 12 performance of “Midnight Rider” by The Allman Brothers Band, Stough earned a spot in the Top 10 where he took the stage to perform “It’s Been Awhile.”
Next up, he had the opportunity to work with guest judge Alanis Morissette.
“Making it this far in the competition is still really hard to believe,” he admitted to her. “There’s nowhere else I really want to be in life than the Top 8 of American Idol. I was really nervous to sing her song in front of her, I’m either going to fail or fly, you know? I didn’t know how it was going to go.”
He took the stage to perform Morissette’s iconic “Hand In My Pocket” and earned praise from the judges.
“I love how you really rocked it at the end, but also how you gave it a different spin at the beginning because obviously it’s a song that everyone knows and you’re doing it in a way that makes it your own and then rocking out. So, yeah, it was brilliant,” guest judge Ed Sheeran told him.
He teamed up with Megan Danielle to perform an Ed Sheeran song as well.
During Disney Night, he turned heads by taking a risk with his performance of Sheryl Crow’s “Real Gone” from Disney’s Cars.
“We’ve been wanting you to get real comfortable all year and I didn’t realize that a Cars’ song was going to get you that pumped. That’s the most you really let loose, had fun… great song choice,” Luke Bryan told him. “I’m proud of everybody, y’all are growing… all of the contestants are getting better and better every week and man that was maybe my favorite performance that you’ve done. It was great!”
Additionally, he sang “Nobody Knows” from Pete’s Dragon. This was a smart song choice for the 18-year-old.
Luke Bryan complimented his ability to hold the attention of the room, while Katy Perry said “you could hear a pin drop” during his performance.
Ahead of the Idol finale, Colin Stough released his debut single, “I Still Talk To Jesus.”
Co-written by Francisco Martin and Hank Compton, “I Still Talk To Jesus” finds the American Idol finalist leaning on his faith in the midst of a breakup. As he faces the intense loneliness in the aftermath of a love gone wrong, Stough turns to his relationship with Jesus to help him navigate this difficult time in his life.
“I still believe in the things that I make in my head / I still believe every word that you said / I know I’m better off without you / But I hate knowin’ it’s the same for you / I tell myself that I still need it / I just want something to believe in / I still talk to Jesus,” Stough sings on the tune’s chorus.
Colin Stough will face off against Megan Danielle and Iam Tongi for the title of American Idol champion during the three-hour season finale of American Idol on Sunday, May 21 at 8 pm ET.
Live from Hollywood, the finale will feature performances by the judges, Luke Bryan, Katy Perry, and Lionel Richie, as well as guest performers Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard, Ellie Goulding, James Blunt, Jazmine Sullivan, Jelly Roll, Keith Urban (who is also mentoring Top 3), Kevin Cronin from REO Speedwagon, Kylie Minogue, Lainey Wilson, Lauren Daigle, Pitbull, and TLC.
Re-live Colin Stough‘s American Idol journey below.
Colin Stough’s American Idol Audition
“Simple Man” by Lynyrd Skynyrd
Hollywood Round
“Stone” by Whiskey Myers
Duets Round
Countrified rendition of Ed Sheeran’s “Dive” with Megan Danielle
Solo Performance
“Cold” by Chris Stapleton
Top 26 Hawaii Round
“Midnight Train to Memphis” by The SteelDrivers
Top 20
“Pretty Heart” by Parker McCollum
In Celebration
“Dancing on My Own” by Robyn
Top 12
“Midnight Rider” by The Allman Brothers Band
Top 10
“It’s Been Awhile” by Staind
Top 8
“Hand in My Pocket” by Alanis Morissette
Top 5 (Disney Week)
“Real Gone” from Disney’s Cars
“Nobody Knows from Disney’s Pete’s Dragon
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
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