An ‘American Idol’ alum is stepping onto one of music’s biggest stages, here’s how you can watch it live
'American Idol' Season 23 finalist Thunderstorm Artis is making great strides in his music career. On September 12, 2025, Artis took to Instagram and shared with his fans that he will be making his Grand Ole Opry debut on October 12. “I CAN’T BELIEVE I’M WRITING THIS. I’m making my @opry debut Oct 12th. It’s been a dream of mine for so long, I can’t wait to stand on the stage where many amazing artists have stood before and make my mark," Artis captioned his post. The talented singer and multi-instrumentalist who hails from North Shore, Hawaii, concluded the post by writing, "God is good."
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Shortly afterward, Artis received immense love and support from his 'Idol' family in the comments section. The official 'American Idol' Instagram account left a comment on the post that read, "We are SO proud of you! 💙.” Artis responded to the comment by writing, "There’s a storm coming." The 'American Idol' Season 23 runner-up John Foster wrote, "This is so awesome my bro! ❤️🙌," to which Artis replied, "Thanks brother @officialjohnfoster I’m gonna have to ask you for some tips and tricks."
Along with this, numerous fans took to the comments section to shower praises on Artis. One social media user wrote, "It was just a matter of time before the world catches up with us who are already big fans!!! Congrats Thunder!" A second user penned, "Congratulations Thunderstorm, you deserve it and more!!!!!" A third netizen wrote, "Congrats! Wish it was next weekend when we are in Nashville but what an honor for you 😊." Another fan remarked, "Oh wowwwwww that’s huge! Congratulations 🙌🏽."
Since appearing on 'American Idol' Season 23, Artis has been focused on paving a path for himself in the music industry. On August 20, Artis disclosed in an Instagram post that he had signed on with the management team of The War and Treaty. At that point, Artis simply captioned the post, "Super excited to be signed with @thewarandtreaty management team we’re going to take this industry by a storm."
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This summer, Artis has been pretty active on social media. On August 26, Artis posted a reel of himself singing an upbeat tune, which caught the attention of 'American Idol' Artist in Residence Jelly Roll, and he commented, "This is dope." The caption of the Instagram post read, "This song is coming together yall Im so pumped for all of the new music that I’ve been working on." Keeping aside his music career, Artis makes time for his family as well.
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Artis and his wife, Faith, are proud parents of their two adorable little boys, Ezekiel and Zion. The pair welcomed their first child, son Ezekiel, in 2022, and their second child, son Zion, joined them earthside in 2024. Artis and Faith also make sure they get some alone time as a couple. In an Instagram video, Artis spoke about the importance of having alone time with one’s partner. Then, Artis said, “Sometimes we kind of feel guilty for leaving our kids behind, but like, it is so worth it. When you have an amazing couple relationship, we’re able to love our kids even better.”