This ‘Voice’ alum stormed the ‘American Idol’ stage with a Phil Collins cover — and still didn’t make the Top 10

"Come on, boy!" Lionel Richie jumps out of his seat after Victor Solomon’s stunning vocals.
PUBLISHED MAY 4, 2025
Lionel Richie in awe of Victor Solomon's performance (Cover Image Source: YouTube | American Idol)
Lionel Richie in awe of Victor Solomon's performance (Cover Image Source: YouTube | American Idol)

'The Voice' and 'American Idol' have always provided a stage for talented singers to showcase their voices, and it's only natural that some of this talent interjects. Victor Solomon is one such singer hailing from Peoria, Illinois, who was a contestant on 'The Voice.' He was a member of Team Legend and finished in fifth place in season 20, as reported by Fandom. However, despite not winning one reality show, Solomon didn't stop there, as he went on to try and make a name for himself on 'American Idol.'



 

Solomon gave a performance in the Showstopper round where he wowed the judges and the audience with his powerful vocals and commanding stage presence. Solomon performed 'In the Air Tonight' by Phil Collins in front of the judges, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie. In fact, Solomon's performance was so moving that midway through the performance, Richie got up from his chair and screamed, "Come on, boy!"



 

Solomon brought the perfect energy to elevate the song; he started slow, engaging everyone with his vocal melody. Then midway through the performance, there was a sudden shift in energy as Solomon vigorously started shaking his body. The crowd definitely felt this change as everyone rose to their feet, almost as if moved by Solomon's voice. As the song came to a close, Solomon dropped to his knees, his voice soaring to an emotional high.


 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Victor Solomon (@_victorsolo)


 

The Illinois native always wanted to be a performer, as he revealed in a report to Entertainment Weekly: "There is truly nothing like performing in front of a live audience. When we're onstage and I see the lights, I hear the sound of the fans, I hear the cheering of the crowd — everything stops." Needless to say, this performance was one of the best Solomon has ever delivered, and people noticed; the energy in the theater was off the charts.


 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Victor Solomon (@_victorsolo)


 

As Solomon exited the theater, he too was overwhelmed as he stated with an ever-prevalent grin on his face, "That was crazy. I hope that the judges see a different layer of me. I want to continue to stretch myself." The judges were in awe of Solomon, as Underwood hilariously stated, "Somebody was practicing in front of his mirror last night." However, despite delivering a spectacular performance, Solomon couldn't place in the Top 10 since he didn't get enough votes. In a last attempt to stay in the competition, he then sang 'Stayin' Alive' by The Bee Gees. However, the judges weren't quite impressed by him, which led to him being eliminated from the show.

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