“For me, it’s more than auditioning. It’s just about my family, showing them that you can do anything that you put your mind to,” American Idol Season 24 hopeful Trew The Star said before stepping in front of judges Carrie Underwood, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn.
The Montgomery, Alabama native auditioned for the long-running competition series on Monday, Feb. 9, delivering a memorable rendition of “Nothing Can Change This Love” by Sam Cooke. While his vocal performance left a lasting impression, it was his deeply personal backstory that moved the judges just as much as his voice.
Opening up about the hardships that shaped his life and music, Trew The Star, whose real name is Trevon Williams, revealed he lost his mother, Shantil, in 2022. Through it all, he leaned on music as a source of comfort, healing, and hope. “My first memory of music, is me and my mom actually used to watch American Idol,” Trew The Star shared. “That was my first memory of loving music.”
He went on to explain the struggles he faced growing up, speaking candidly about his childhood and the responsibilities he carried at a young age.
“Growing up was tough. My mom was on drugs,” he said. “There were a lot of times we didn’t have water on [or] lights on. I had to take care of my little siblings. My mama had a hard life. And truthfully, my mom went through the same thing I had to go through.”
“History repeats itself,” he said.
Despite those challenges, Trew The Star explained that things eventually began to change when his family stepped in to help.
“Eventually, our family stepped in, and my mom got clean, and she was actually really trying to change and make things better,” he acknowledged. He then revealed the loss that still weighs heavily on his heart. “I had just started to understand. I had just started to forgive her for a lot of things that we went through as kids. It was hard. It was very hard.”
Determined to break the cycle, Trew The Star found inspiration in American Idol. The show represents possibility and a way out of the poverty he has known for so long. In fact, his sibling, who was on hand showing support, shared that Trew The Star once dreamed of running away to Hollywood with nothing but a guitar, hoping to sing on the streets and create a better life for himself.
“He was determined,” his brother Joshua said through tears in a pre-recorded clip. “And I’m glad you kept that energy, bro, despite what anybody said about you.”
When Trew The Star finally launched into his rendition of “Nothing Can Change This Love,” it became clear that his world was destined for brighter things. Backed by piano, he delivered a soulful, soaring performance that honored Cooke’s timeless sound while still making the song entirely his own. Following the performance, Richie immediately stood up and embraced him with a hug before offering his praise.
“We’re proud of you, son,” Richie said. “You did well. I love that.”
Underwood echoed those sentiments, highlighting the maturity and restraint in his delivery. “You have a commanding voice,” she said, “but I think my favorite part was your delivery. It was completely intentional, and it wasn’t trying to barrel over the song and show us all your big notes. You were just delivering a story to us, and it was very believable.”
Bryan added his own emotional response, admitting that the performance affected him deeply.
“It was the first time in three days I’ve had full-body chills the whole time,” Bryan said. “And I thought it was just so real and genuine. I just cheer for you. I want to see your family have a blast with all this.”
Turning to the side of the room, Bryan then invited Trew The Star’s loved ones to join in on the moment.
“Come on in, Montgomery,” he said, ushering in Trew The Star’s family members to watch as he received his golden ticket to Hollywood.
Overcome with emotion, Trew reflected on what the moment meant to him.
“It’s really been a blessing,” he said. “It’s really just been an honor to be here with my family. I think they’re just really proud of me, and I know my mom is watching.”
