‘American Idol' Season 20: Taylor Fagins wows the judges, fans say 'he shook the room'

Fagins introduced himself to the judges as someone who writes music but is also keenly interested in becoming a playwright
Taylor Jalen Fagins on 'American Idol' season 20 (Photo by ABC)
Taylor Jalen Fagins on 'American Idol' season 20 (Photo by ABC)

HunterGirl might have bagged the very first platinum ticket of ‘American Idol ‘season 20, however, Taylor Jalen Fagins is another contestant who proved to be a perfect end of the premiere episode. The 28-year-old crooner, who hails from California, decided to perform on one of his original songs ‘We Need More’ that he dedicated to the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and many others.
 
Fagins introduced himself to the judges namely Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie as someone who writes music but is also keenly interested in becoming a playwright while also producing songs. Fagins took to the piano and he soon left the trio emotional adding that he was “shaken” when asked how he was feeling. Lionel Richie expressed that he felt the same. He soon got an “absolute yes” from all the judges as they all reeled in the magical moment. Lionel added that he needed to release his original songs in 2022.

RELATED ARTICLES
'American Idol 20': Who is Delaney Renee Wilson? Teen got famous as ‘The Singing Babysitter’

'American Idol 20': Who is Taylor Jalen Fagins? Berklee student also loves to playwright



 


Taylor Jalen Fagins is one of the newest contestants on season 20 of ‘American Idol’. The 28-year-old crooner, who hails from California, began singing at the age of nine. His grandmother is reportedly a church choir singer. Fagins graduated from Los Alamitos High in 2013 and the University of California, Irvine, with a B.A. in Drama in 2017. The versatile singer is currently enrolled at Berklee NYC where he is studying writing and design for musical theatre.



 



 

‘Had chills and tears in my eyes’

Just like the judges, social media users too were left speechless after Fagins showed how good he can be at singing. “That was one of the BEST auditions I have ever seen in American Idol history. What a powerful song written by an amazing human, Taylor. I hope he goes very far and his song gets added to ALL music platforms!” Another stated, “Taylor Fagin is that dude. Shook the room. Powerful.” One user added, “@taylorfagins thank you for your audition on@AmericanIdol. I'm cheering for you.”
 
The next one tweeted, “I hope there's a music producer listening right now. He needs to get a record contract #AmericanIdol” One user said, “Wow, the end to American Idol was some powerful s**t!” Another posted, “@taylorfagins you’re a STAR!! That was POWERFUL, CHILLING, BEAUTIFUL!! #ThankYou God Bless You” as , one concluded, “This song this singer songwriter Taylor Fagins has stopped me in my tracks! Wow what a lyrics! I had chills and tears in my eyes! Simply incredible!”
 



 



 



 



 



 



 



 



 

GET THE BIGGEST ENTERTAINMENT STORIES
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

MORE STORIES

Prime Video’s 'The Greatest' explores Muhammad Ali’s life inside and outside the ring, and now the series has added a former WWE star.
2026-10-23T15:09:43.000Z
Joanne and Noah are married in the eyes of God, but they still need to break the news to their families, who remain at odds
2026-10-23T10:17:27.000Z
Riley’s death in Season 26 marked an emotional moment for viewers, and Episode 3 sees the team navigating through this challenging time
2026-10-23T07:17:55.000Z
Episode 12 opens with a Fiona and Myrtle reunion before a revelation about Constance changes everything
2026-10-23T06:37:10.000Z
Olivia telling Bruno to take some time off has fans speculating about Kevin Kane’s potential exit
2026-10-23T05:55:35.000Z
Its first three episodes averaged 5.06 million viewers after a week, and the numbers have kept climbing
2026-10-23T02:32:54.000Z
Netflix is keeping the newcomers’ roles under wraps as the Brannocks’ story continues in Season 2.
2026-10-22T20:18:00.000Z
Kelly Reilly reflects on Beth Dutton’s new chapter in South Texas as the hit Yellowstone spin-off 'Dutton Ranch' prepares to continue its story.
2026-10-22T19:52:53.000Z
CBS’ November 8 lineup update raises questions about new episodes and where viewers can catch up.
2026-10-22T19:13:30.000Z
The 'Outlander' is set to play a ruthless agent in Viola Davis’ corporate thriller for Paramount+, as the series expands its cast.
2026-10-22T18:34:33.000Z