Insite‘s time on American Idol came to an end on Monday evening (Mar. 31) following two memorable rock performances on the show. After learning of his fate during Hollywood week, he took to social media to share a heartfelt goodbye.
Recalls His Rockin’ Idol Audition And Duet Alongside Carrie Underwood
Insite, a drum and vocal instructor at School of Rock, took a risk when he auditioned for American Idol with “Freak On A Leash” By Korn and showed off his unique rock, screamo vocals. While Idol judges, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan, were shocked by his song choice, Carrie Underwood was thrilled as an avid rock fan herself to see a contestant auditioning with a Korn hit.
Underwood joined Insite during his epic Idol audition. The pair joined forces to perform “Bodies” by Drowning Pool after Underwood sang along to “Freak On A Leash” by Korn from her seat at the star-studded judges’ panel. “I was hoping to kind of change things up and blow the roof off of this place, see what I can do,” he told the Idol judges at the time of his audition.
Before stepping onto the “Idol Arena” stage during Hollywood week, the 18-year-old Florida native reflected on the unforgettable moment he shared with Carrie Underwood, and admitted that he was surprised he made it to Hollywood.
“It feels pretty insane to be here… I didn’t really think I would make it past that first round, considering what I’m doing is so different,” Insite admitted. “When Carrie got up on stage with me, it was pretty surreal that we rocked out together. But now that I’m here, I feel a lot more confident in my abilities. Once I make it to that ‘Showstoppers’ round, and I can really drop the hammer, that’s when I think stuff is going to get real.”
Insite Performed “Rooster” by Alice In Chains
Wearing an all black outfit and hat, Insite went on to perform “Rooster” by Alice In Chains for his Hollywood week showcase.
“Here they come to snuff the Rooster, aw, yeah/ Yeah, here come the Rooster, yeah/ You know he ain’t gonna die/ No, no, no, you know he ain’t gonna die,” Insite sang during his performance of the Alice In Chains track.
Following his performance, Lionel Richie told Insite, “Now, the good news here is that your confidence is well intact.” Insite than exited the room and was greeted by Idol host Ryan Seacrest, who asked, “Did it go well for you, in your opinion?”
The 18-year-old Idol contestant quickly replied, “I think it went well. I let the nerves get to the best of me a little bit.”
READ: Carrie Underwood Joins 18-Year-Old ‘American Idol’ Contestant For Epic Heavy Metal Cover
Eliminated From American Idol, Bids Farewell With Heartfelt Message
Later in the show, it was revealed that Insite did not make the cut to advance to the next round on American Idol and that he was eliminated.
The future rock star took to social media following his elimination to bid farewell to Idol viewers.
“Thank you for all the love and support these past weeks, I’m super thankful for this opportunity,” he wrote. “Unfortunately, it is the end of my American Idol journey! But make sure you stick around because this is just the beginning for Insite.”
He also revealed that he is working on original music alongside producer, Kallaghan.
American Idol airs every Sunday and Monday at 8/7c on ABC.
