'American Idol' Season 18: Spiritual cowboy Dillon James battled addiction to pursue his passion for singing
The latest episode of 'American Idol' just aired on Sunday night, April 19, and once again, thanks to the ongoing coronavirus, it featured a closer look at the Top 20 contestants through a special recap portion called 'This Is Me'. This special episode revealed that Grace Leer had now been voted into the Top 20 by American viewers, and also included some previously unseen footage. One of the contestants who featured, Dillon James, a 26-year-old native of Bakersfield in California, had quite an inspiring story of redemption.
Dillon James first caught our eye in the 'American Idol' audition rounds, where he sang a lovely rendition of 'Make You Feel My Love' by Bob Dylan. Following that was a previously unaired rendition of his own original song, 'Gunsmoke', that made him seem like a cowboy version of Post Malone — full of talent, charisma and full-body tattoos. The judges were certainly intrigued by his singing potential, but it was Dillon's backstory that really impressed us.
We saw some never-before-seen footage tonight that showed just how talented a singer the teenage Dillon had been. He both sounded and looked the part and had a dreamy voice that any indie country-folk star would have been proud of.
The young man had actually been a talented star on the rise in a different entertainment sector, however. Dillon revealed that he had previously been a struggling young actor in Hollywood. Having won a modeling competition in 2012 and even landing a part on a Lifetime movie with Dolly Parton in 2013, things looked rosy for Dillon in his early 20s. Although he continued to get typical "boyfriend" roles, thanks to his striking good looks, the young talent soon succumbed to alcohol and substance addictions. He was eventually left homeless and suicidal, with no money and no hope left, having burnt a lot of bridges and extinguished close friendships due to his personal issues in Hollywood.
Thankfully for Dillon and for us American viewers, he took a long, hard look at his life's trajectory and realized that he wanted to succeed in his life without the baggage of addiction. He reunited with his estranged family in some heartwarming scenes that the show aired tonight and revealed that he had realized the error of his ways. Looking to redeem himself and work towards his potential, Dillon arrived on 'American Idol' full of hope and determination. His inner strength and steely focus saw him progress from strength to strength in the competition.
Dillon revealed in Hollywood Week that he was now two years sober, and delivered two incredible performances of Billy Joel's 'Vienna' and an original song called 'Tierra Dulce' that absolutely wowed the judges.
Having made it to the Top 40, he raised the ante yet again with another amazing rendition in Aulani, Hawaii, with his version of Bob Dylan's classic, 'The Times They Are A-Changin'. As Dillon sang the song with swagger, gusto and genuine joy, the judges remarked on how he looked like a born star on the stage, and he easily made it into the Top 20 of the singing competition.
Dillon has come a long way from battling his demons and addictions to getting ever closer to his dream — claiming the 'American Idol' crown. But he's going to need all the support he can get as the competition enters the Top 20 voting phase next week, where the aspiring contestants will be singing and be judged at their homes due to the ongoing coronavirus lockdown restrictions.
His fans certainly think he has what it takes to win it all. "Mark my words, Dillon James is a star!" said one admirer, while another enthused, "Dillon James is the cowboy I’ve always dreamed of." Make sure you tune in next Sunday, April 26, to catch the brand-new Top 20 remote access episode on the ABC network at 8 pm ET. Every vote is going to count.