Homeless man slept on park benches while chasing his dream — then stunned the judges on ‘American Idol’
'American Idol' has to be one of the few shows that lends wings to the dreams of aspiring singers. Ever since its launch in 2002, the competition has welcomed countless contestants with inspiring stories. In one such instance, the struggle of a former homeless contestant attracted major attention. Having turned his life around, his singing not only impressed the judges but also made for a heartwarming 'American Idol' moment.
The contestant in discussion is Sir Blayke, whose emotional 'American Idol' audition in Season 20 earned him a golden ticket to Hollywood Week. Talking about his struggles, Blayke told the judges, "It hasn't been great." Blayke, whose mother was a choir director, always knew he wanted to pursue music. After moving to Atlanta to chase that dream, he faced homelessness, per the Miami Herald. "I was an intern at a studio, and didn't nobody know I was homeless," he revealed, while adding, "I literally would go to sleep on a bench. At that moment, I just knew what I wanted to do, and going home just wasn't it."
Sir Blayke expressed his desires to break stereotypes with his music, telling ABC7, "I want to show that Black people can do pop music. We don't always have to be stuck in the box of R&B, soul, and gospel. We are more, we can do more, it doesn't just always have to be that." Though now living in Los Angeles, he admits he is "still struggling" but feels he's on the right path. As he told the judges, "It’s not quite hitting just yet. But it's been a ride that I wouldn't change." He performed a heartfelt version of 'Dive' by Ed Sheeran before Katy Perry asked to hear an original song.
Sir Blayke then performed an original heartbreak pop ballad, and while his vocals impressed the judges, they offered honest critiques. Luke Bryan said, "Every time you slipped up into that falsetto, it felt like I lost the little bit of the power and the connection that I had with you." Lionel Richie agreed but added, "You don't need all those curls, remember the crowd, you want them to sing along with you. I loved the texture of your voice."
Perry preferred his original song to the Ed Sheeran cover, telling him, "I thought you had a lot more control. I think you sound good, but I just really want to connect with you more emotionally." Although Bryan initially voted "no," Blayke pleaded his case, saying he was a "quick study" and willing to work hard. Richie replied, "I believe in you," giving a "yes." Perry followed with, "Bring it. It's a yes from me," making Blayke to celebrate as Richie joked, "That's the note we've been looking for!"
Notably, Sir Blayke competed in the 'Pop' category during the Genre Challenge, performing 'True Colors' by Cyndi Lauper in a group with Ava Maybee and Sam Finelli. For his final solo, he sang 'Honesty' by Pink Sweat$, which earned him a spot in the Top 24, per the American Idol wiki. In Hawaii, he performed 'Breakeven' by The Script as part of Group 2. Unfortunately, he received the lowest number of votes and was eliminated. He was the only contestant eliminated at that stage due to Kenedi Anderson's earlier withdrawal from the competition.