Colin Stough, an American Idol season 21 finalist, returned to American Idol for the first time since appearing on the show as a contestant in 2023. Stough made a special appearance to get a haircut and sing a duet with The Singing Barber, Noah Peters, during his Idol audition.
Noah Peters, Who Goes By The Singing Barber, Auditioned With a Rascal Flatts’ Hit
After The Singing Barber covered Rascal Flatt’s “I Won’t Let Go,” Katy Perry questioned him on if he feels odd singing without having a client in front of him getting a haircut.
“Don’t you feel a little naked?” Perry asked the 24-year-old Tennessee native, to which he replied, “Yes, I do. I’m used to walking around the whole time.” Perry then questioned, “Do you think you’d sing better if you could give a haircut right now?” He responded, “I definitely would!”
“Okay, hold on, who needs a haircut?” Perry shouted as the production team began to bring in a barber chair and hair cutting supplies. At the time, Perry and Luke Bryan also joked that The Singing Barber should shave Lionel Richie’s head, to which Richie shouted, “oh heck no!”
Colin Stough Makes Surprise Return to American Idol
Idol host, Ryan Seacrest, then entered the room with special guest Colin Stough, who shocked the judges with his appearance on the popular singing competition show.
“We found somebody that could use a cut right now,” Seacrest said with Stough at his side.
At the sight of Stough, Bryan exclaimed, “You do need a… You need a haircut.” Bryan later admitted, “you recruited a heck of a haircut. How much you getting off there?” Stough quickly responded, saying, “just a little bit.”
“I ain’t never cut nobody like Colin,” the barber then confessed as he put a black barber’s cape on Stough as he began to cut his hair.
Stough, a 19-year-old Mississippi native, asked The Singing Barber, “So I take it You can sing and cut?” The Singing Barber vowed to cut his hair and serenade him as long as he would join him in song.
The Singing Barber And Stough Covered A Chris Stapleton Song Together
Joined by a guitarist, playing an acoustic guitar, the pair sang a cover of Chris Stapleton’s “Broken Halos” as The Singing Barber trimmed Stough’s hair and the Idol judges watched on. The pair sang the tune together and flawlessly harmonized on the chorus.
“Seen my share of broken halos/ Folded wings that used to fly/ They’ve all gone wherever they go/ Broken halos that used to shine,” The Singing Barber and Colin Stough sang on the tune’s chorus in perfect sync.
After wrapping up the brief mid-audition haircut, The Singing Barber and Stough said their goodbyes, complimented each other’s talents and Stough offered The Singing Barber some advice before exiting the audition room. “Nice to meet you, no matter what the outcome is, keep going. Keep keeping on. Life’s a garden, you dig it,” Stough told The Singing Barber, whose real name is Noah Peters.
Perry and her fellow Idol judges then bid farewell to Stough, “What a surprise! Nice to see you, Colin, we love you so much!”
The Idol judges then offered commentary on The Singing Barber’s audition before they revealed his fate on the show. He ultimately earned three ‘yes’ votes from Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan, earning a golden ticket and advancing to Hollywood week.
About Colin Stough
Colin Stough auditioned for American Idol with Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Simple Man,” quickly capturing the hearts of America and garnering praise from the Idol judges. His audition left a lasting impression on the judges and fans across the globe.
While competing on Idol, the fan-favorite contestant delivered impressive covers of hit songs such as Chris Stapleton’s “Cold,” The SteelDrivers’ “Midnight Train To Memphis,” Parker McCollum’s “Pretty Heart,” Robyn’s “Dancing On My Own,” The Allman Brothers’ “Midnight Rider,” Staind’s “It’s Been While,” Alanis Morissette’s “Hand In My Pocket,” and more.
His covers ultimately earned the former HVAC technician a spot in the coveted Top 3 alongside Megan Danielle and winner Iam Tongi. Prior to exiting the competition, Stough released his debut single, “I Still Talk To Jesus.”
During an interview with us, he reflected on his life-changing American Idol journey. “My mom signed me up for it. And I just, I didn’t know how far I could go on it, and I ended up about damn near going all the way,” Stough told us in June of 2023. “So, I was pretty pleased with the outcome. It was pretty awesome.”
Since finishing in third place on Idol, Colin Stough made the move to Nashville and signed a record deal with 19 Recordings/BMG. He then went on to release his debut EP, Promiseland, which arrived on October 29, 2023.
Additionally, Stough has also performed at several festivals as well as embarked on tours with his friend Chase Matthew, Kidd G, Drake White and more.
