The Singing Barber, Noah Peters, took social media by storm with his viral TikToks that have amassed millions of views, where he sings while cutting people’s hair, and now he is making an even bigger name for himself on American Idol. The 24-year-old Tennessee native made a lasting impression on Idol judges Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan with his unforgettable audition that will likely capture the hearts of America too.
The Singing Barber, Whose Real Name Is Noah Peters, Auditions For American Idol
His audition began as he revealed that he is a professional barber from Benton, Tennessee, and the only barber in his small hometown.
“I’ve been a barber for ten years and I run my own shop and I sing a lot. People around town know me as The Singing Barber,” he explained, before going on to unveil how he went viral on social media with his unique videos.
“People request Luke Bryan all the time, I went viral with a boy that we snag ‘Country Girl (Shake It For Me).’ It used to be just me singing, getting on people’s nerves, but now people come in just to hear me sing at the barber shop. It means a lot to me,” he continued. “Ever since I was a child, I have dreamed of getting a golden ticket on American Idol. So getting to bring that back and frame it in my barbershop, it would mean the world to me.”
“One thing about me is what you see is what you get. So I’m going to sing my butt off and hope for the best,” The Singing Barber added.
Watch The Singing Barber‘s American Idol Audition
Well, it seems that his dreams are beginning to come true, as he wowed the Idol judges with his stunning cover of Rascal Flatts’ “I Won’t Let Go.” Joined by a guitarist, strumming an acoustic guitar, the viral sensation and country music singer belted out the lyrics to the country hit while showcasing his impressive vocals.
“Wow, there you go, singing with ease,” Luke Bryan said, while Lionel Richie offered him a standing ovation.
Meanwhile, 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!”
Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan Praise The Singing Barber’s Idol Audition
The Idol judges then praised The Singing Barber’s audition before they revealed his fate on the show.
“I think that when I heard you sing just a little bit of ‘Broken Halos,’ when you were cutting, you were kind of not thinking about it, and it was oozing out of you. I really want you to visualize that when you sing… that you’re just back at the shop just giving a trim. I just don’t want you to overthink,” Katy Perry said. “You’ve got some sweetness to your voice, some soul, some purity. But it’s definitely going to need a blunt edge here and there. Okay? Or some layers. Either way, it’s going to need some chip chop.”
Lionel Richie was next to make comments on his audition. “Don’t get psyched out. You have a quality in your voice. That’s fantastic. But more importantly, relax. I know that’s hard to say. Trust in who you are and what you sound like. You stay true to your lane. And you’ll be onto something,” he stated.
The Singing Barber Is “Going To Hollywood”
Luke Bryan didn’t say anything about his Idol performance. Instead, he prompted the star-studded panel of judges to vote. He ultimately earned three ‘yes’ votes from Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan, earning a golden ticket and advancing to Hollywood week.
Following his extraordinary American Idol audition, where he advanced to Hollywood Week, Noah Peters (also known as The Singing Barber) opened up about how “excited” his is for this life-changing opportunity.
“I’ve never shook while cutting hair before, but it happened today. I’m so excited. I now get to put Colin Stough on my client list. Today was amazing,” he told viewers. “When you’re from a small town and nothing really happens, singing in front of big stars is a whole nother ball game for me. My life’s going to change is pretty nerve-wracking. But I’m so excited for this!”
American Idol returns on Sunday (Feb. 26) at 8/7c on ABC.
