The 18-Year-Old ‘Idol’ Favorite Caps Off An Exciting Year With A Record Deal
“You just stick to walking out on stage and singing with your heart, and the rest will take care of itself,” said Luke Bryan after hearing Slater Nalley audition on Season 23 of American Idol earlier this year.
Performing an original song titled “Traces Of You,” which was inspired by a poem his high school English teacher wrote about her deceased son, Slater stunned the judges.
Lionel Richie even said, “Sometimes, we don’t have to vote.”
Slater’s Idol journey saw him make it all the way to the top 5, but he was eliminated just before the final 3 went to the season finale.
Five months later, on Friday, October 17, it was announced that Slater has signed a record deal with Warner Music Nashville/Warner Records. This was done in partnership with 19 Entertainment, a part of Sony Pictures Television.
Commemorating his record deal announcement, Slater released his debut single, “Foolish Pride.”
Slater Nalley’s Record Deal And His First Single
Described on his Facebook page as “an 18-year-old wordsmith and Atlanta native,” Slater is swiftly moving toward his goal of “introducing his original music to the world” with his newly signed record deal with Warner Music Nashville/Warner Records.
This is the same record label that country artist Cody Johnson is signed to, which is notable as Cody shared the stage with Slater and Idol judge Carrie Underwood for a surprise performance of “I’m Gonna Love You.”
Speaking about his record deal opportunity, Slater told Music Row:
“I am overjoyed to announce that I have officially signed a record deal with Warner Music. Their team and staff genuinely care about the power of music and truly believe in me. I can’t wait to see where this journey takes us! Thank you to all who made this possible.”
Marking this moment in his budding career, Slater released “Foolish Pride,” which he first introduced to the world as part of his Hollywood Week audition to advance to the top 20 on Idol.
There, he introduced the song, noting he wrote it when he was 15 years old and that it would offer the judges a glimpse at “another side of [his] storytelling,” adding, “‘Foolish Pride’ is about self reflection and realizing sometimes when you’re the problem in a relationship, or friendship, or anything.”
Of the new release of the song as his first single, Slater stated in his comments to Music Row, “I’ve performed it for years, and after its debut on ‘American Idol,’ I knew I had to share it with the world … I’m so grateful to everyone who helped bring this song to life.”
Listen to Slater Nalley’s “Foolish Pride,” and watch the visualizer, here:
Revisit his Hollywood Week performance of this original song, here:
Ahead of the formal release of the single on October 17, he teased its release on social media with a snippet of him playing the song:
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