Before taking the stage on Monday, March 16, as part of American Idol Season 24’s Top 20 performances, Brooks Rosser had already blown away mentors Keke Palmer and Brad Paisley.
The hopeful committed to singing “Dancing On My Own” by Robyn, giving Palmer and Paisley a taste of what was to come while receiving some advice in the process.
“Unbelievable tone,” Palmer told him during rehearsals, dropping her jaw. “Oh my gosh. That voice.”
Though they were floored by Rosser’s natural high falsetto, which sets him apart from many of his peers in the competition, the mentors still had a few pointers before he hit the stage.
“There was a really high note in there. It’s imperative that he doesn’t miss that tonight,” Paisley noted. “I do think that could derail him.”
When Palmer asked Rosser if he felt like he was missing anything, Rosser explained he felt he needed a bit more “confidence.”
“Confidence is about doing what’s true to us. If you need to adjust, adjust, it’s your arrangement,” Palmer told him. “I think with singing, especially in a competition, we get caught up in, ‘Oh, I’ve got to hit the big note. I’ve got to do the thing.’ You just have to do what you do well. And what you have is a winning voice, your character, your tone. As long as you’re hitting each moment with confidence, man, you’ve got it in the bag.”
In the bag indeed.
Rosser’s performance closed out the night, which saw 10 artists take the stage for a chance to advance into the Top 14. Next week, another 10 acts will perform.
For Rosser, it appears he has a real shot. He impressed the judges, families, industry experts, and tastemakers with an emotional yet effortless performance that showcased the full power and vulnerability of his voice.
Sharing his reason for choosing “Dancing On My Own” before taking the stage, Rosser said, “I’ve always had trouble fitting in. I grew up keeping everything in, and I never told anyone anything. I was never vulnerable. So this whole song is just me looking back at my younger self and growing into the man I am now.”
He added, “Being here, I feel like I was invited into something. I’m not alone anymore. I’ve made so many good friends here, and it’s really just beautiful.”
It seems he made the right choice.
“Brooks, you really do have one of the most magical voices I’ve ever heard,” Palmer said after the performance. “I mean, it’s cinematic. Its soundtrack. I’m in the movie where everything ended. I’m at the lake, and I don’t know what happened to my life type of voice. It’s really insane.”
She continued, “I know this is probably all so much for you. When we were doing the mentoring and everything, you were like, ‘When I do the big notes, I get nervous.’ But you must stay in this competition. This is my call out to America, you must. I’ve got to see you grow, and I’ve got to be a part of watching you become the kind of artist that I know you will be.”
Lionel Richie added, “I am so glad we know you. Now, if I could just get you to scare us all to death the next time you perform, if you took it out of the mic stand and just did that, we’d all faint. Great job. That was fantastic.”
Carrie Underwood also praised the singer’s growth.
“I need all of you to understand that he’s never done this before,” she said. “He’s played guitar in front of people, but he has not sung in front of people. I am so excited for you. We are at day one of your journey, and it’s going to be incredible. You are going to grow before us, and I can’t even fathom what you could accomplish. I’m just glad I’m here for it.”
Luke Bryan echoed the sentiment.
“Voices like yours don’t come along much because the uniqueness of it is so instantaneous,” Bryan said. “As you get going with this thing, stay humble, but have the confidence to stand up there and trust that people are going to react to your voice in ways you could have never imagined. Every time you start singing, I see the movie of your life playing. I see beautiful songs, and I see you captivating people because your voice is so unique.”
Rosser first met fans during his American Idol audition with a performance of “Your Place at My Place” by Joshua Slone and Bob Dylan’s “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door,” which earned praise from all of the judges, including Bryan, who said, “I just want to hear more.”
Since then, Rosser has continued to showcase his talents with performances of Noah Kahan’s “Everywhere, Everything” and “Drowning” by Sam Barber.
Over the next week, the remaining Idol hopefuls will perform for America’s votes from Disney’s Aulani Resort & Spa in Hawaii, vying for a chance to advance to the Top 14 while guided by superstar mentors Brad Paisley and Keke Palmer.
Voting has changed this season, and fans have three ways to support their favorite contestants: online at AmericanIdol.com/Vote, on social media (@AmericanIdol) by commenting the contestant’s first name on the pinned post, or by texting the contestant’s number to 21523.
For Rosser, that number is 10. Fans can cast up to 10 votes per contestant per method and platform. Voting opens when the contestant appears on TV and closes at 6 a.m. ET on March 17.
