HOME / ENTERTAINMENT / REALITY TV

‘American Idol’ alum performs special show for inmates—earns Jelly Roll’s praise for ‘spreading the love’

“We’re always excited to have opportunities like this come to the facility,” HCF Warden Shannon Cluney expressed.

Thunderstorm Artis was a finalist on season 18 of 'The Voice' in 2020, after which he participated in season 23 of 'American Idol' and ended up as one of the top 5 contestants. Recently, the Hawaii native decided to give back to his community. Artis organized a free solo concert for the inmates at the Hālawa Correctional Facility. “I think music is such a healing thing, and for me, the message I try to bring to my music is so important,” the R&B singer told Maui Now. “Sometimes we enter dark seasons, and we make a lot of bad decisions. So I just want to let these guys know that there are better days ahead,” he added.

The 'American Idol' star performed a set of hit tracks for 80 inmates first and 90 the second time at the correctional facility's gym. Artis shared the notable moment on his Instagram. In the captions, he penned, "Yesterday morning, I got to spend some time blessing the gentleman in the Halawa prison in Hawaii, with my amazing friend Pastor Al. We got to worship Jesus, sing songs from my journey on @americanidol. They all followed. I was humbled to hear that the music I was making was reaching these guys going through the toughest season of their lives."

This wasn't Artis' first concert at the inmate facility. He had also performed earlier in 2017. “Years before I was even on 'American Idol' or 'The Voice', I used to come through to Hālawa Heights and sing worship with Pastor Al, so when he heard I was coming back to town, he’s like ‘Dude, would you love to come back here and play for the gentlemen here?’ And I was like, 'Dude, I would be honored to,'” the Nashville native revealed. “We’re always excited to have opportunities like this come to the facility,” HCF Warden Shannon Cluney also shared.

Artis' good deed earned him immense praise from others in the industry. Mentor Jelly Roll was one of the first to laud his selfless act. Dubbing it 'gospel in action,' Roll thanked Artis for 'spreading the love of Christ.' Artis impressed 'American Idol' judges with his original number 'Don't Let Me Let You Go' during the auditions and moved to the Hollywood Round. He continued his journey on the coveted talent show and earned a place in the top 7. Unfortunately, he was eliminated after reaching the Top 5.

As per The Things, when eliminated, Artis took to Instagram to thank his fans for their support. "Love you so much, honey. You left it all out on that stage, and I couldn’t be more proud. I think you deserved to be in that finale, but top 5 is HUGE. The boys and I are forever grateful for your hard work! We love you so much, baby," his wife Faith commented in the now-deleted post. The R&B singer continues to mesmerize fans with his musical talent through live gigs and concerts.