Triston Harper won over the hearts of America during his American Idol audition
15-year-old Triston Harper caught the attention of American Idol fans when he auditioned with a heartfelt cover of Jason Isbell’s “Cover Me Up.” In addition to his musical talent, Harper showed remarkable courage and resilience for someone so young.
During his audition, Harper shared the hardships that he had endured with his mother, who accompanied him to the audition. After fleeing an abusive relationship, the mother-son pair ended up homeless, away from their home state of Alabama. The young man shared:
“The lowest part of my life was when me and my momma had gotten homeless and was sleeping on the sidewalk. I had just turned 12.”
Harper revealed that a family member eventually came to the rescue and brought them back to Alabama. He chose to pursue music because his mother “wanted us to be something.”
Triston Harper advances through the rounds of American Idol
After receiving a unanimous “yes” from all three judges for his audition, Triston Harper advanced to Hollywood Week, where he survived the biggest cuts in the show’s history. The contestant pool was whittled down from 153 to 56.
When it came time to battle for a spot in the Top 24, Harper performed “By Your Grace” by Cody Johnson. His delivery earned him a standing ovation from judges Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, and Luke Bryan and solidified his spot in the next round of the competition.
After learning he would be in the Top 24, Harper became emotional and fought back tears as he reflected on how far he had come from sleeping in cars and playing guitar for change. Katy Perry encouraged him:
“You’re the man of the house, but you’ve got our support. You don’t have to carry all this on your shoulders anymore. You can also have some fun and be 15 again. We wanna see that joy coming out you, that playfulness. It’s time to play, it’s time to have fun, and it’s time to receive what you deserve, which is the Top 24, baby!”
Triston Harper impresses with a Cody Johnson cover after advancing to the Top 14
The stakes continue to rise on American Idol as the aspiring singers give their all on stage. At this point in the competition, viewers have the opportunity to vote for their favorite contestants, and a mixture of fan votes and judges picks determine who advances to the next round.
On Monday night’s (April 15) episode, Tristin Harper received the good news that he had earned enough fan votes to secure a guaranteed spot in the Top 14. Harper breathes a visible sigh of relief and then takes the stage to perform his rendition of Cody Johnson’s hit song “Til You Can’t.”
His rich voice and southern twang are a perfect fit for the song, and he performs with the ease of someone beyond his years. Watch the full performance below!