ABC’s American Idol returned Monday evening (April 5) with an exciting second round of celebrity duets, featuring a number of superstar artists including Josh Groban, Tori Kelly, Jewel, Jason Aldean, Incubus’ Brandon Boyd and more.
4-time GRAMMY-nominee Jewel was on-hand to duet with top 24 contestant Hunter Metts, who previously took the stage for a solo performance of Sia’s “Chandelier.” Following Metts’ Sia cover, the Idol contestant was joined by Jewel for a performance of her hit single “Who Will Save Your Soul.”
Their mesmerizing performance allowed Metts’ vocals to shine at a whole new level alongside the superstar.
Idol judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie all agreed that Metts has a voice that is solely his own and it’s so unique that even on a bad day, he sounds like himself.
“The beauty of you is if you have a great night, an okay night, not a great night. You still have such an undeniable sounding voice that’s your own that you can always count on,” Bryan gushed. “I mean even at one moment I was just like ‘God, you get this kid the right song and everybody will know that voice forever.”
“Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. You are a stylist, I can close my eyes, I know it’s you,” Richie added. “On a bad day you sound just like yourself. So, you can’t mess this up, you understand me. I need from you to feel confident to lean forward. You’ve got everything you need to be the superstar you want to be.”
“Yeah, Hunter, I could see a little fear in your eyes. I think you know you’ve seen all these incredible talented contestants come up and you’re judging yourself against them, like am I going to go ahead or not.” Perry said. “You’re Hunter Metts, you have a unique voice that is only your own, so you really can’t and should not be judging yourself against them.”
The 22-year-old singer previously performed Noah Cyrus’ “July,” Kaleo’s “All The Pretty Girls” and more.
Fans can vote for Hunter Metts by using the official American Idol app, visiting AmericanIdol.com/vote or by texting 23 to 21523. Please note, fans can vote 10 times, per contestant, per voting method. The contestant needs your vote in hopes to make it into the Top 16.
American Idol returns on Sundays and Mondays at 8 p.m. EST on ABC.
Click above to watch Jewel and Metts’ performance above.
