WEYBURN – Singer Brayden King has ended his run on American Idol in the top 55, but said he was thankful he was a part of the show.
Called the “Showstoppers” round, shown on air on Sunday and Monday nights, each performer was to put on a show-stopping performance with a live band, and were then called in by the three celebrity judges to find out if they made the next round.
“My showstopper song was ‘No Good’ by Kaleo. The judges told me that they loved having me in the competition, but I need to gain a bit more vocal control in order to match the competition of the top 24,” said Brayden on Tuesday.
“They loved my high energy and stage presence on my showstopper.”
Asked if he learned any lessons by being on the American Idol show, Brayden replied, “I wouldn’t say I learned any lessons really, I just gained some great friends and experiences. I wasn’t emotional at all, I completely agreed with their comments and decision. Just happy to have been part of it.”
On his social media post on Monday night, where he announced he would not be advancing on, Brayden said, “I want to thank everyone for all of their support during this journey. I think top 55 has a pretty good ring to it! I’m so thankful for this experience, the support from the judges, and all the great friends I made along the way. This is just the beginning.”
King, who is a graduate of the Weyburn Comp, was well-known as the leader of The 7th Avenue band, had been initially contacted by the show’s producers to audition after they had seen his music videos online. He did virtual auditions, then a live audition in Las Vegas before winning his golden ticket for the Hollywood Week round.
He survived two nights of that competition and advanced to the top 55 group who performed this past weekend.
Brayden will be bringing his band to Weyburn on Friday, April 21, with a performance slated at his alma mater, the Weyburn Comp, in the afternoon, and then at Pumpjacks that evening.
