Who is Brant McCullough? 'American Idol' Season 22 contestant shared the stage with country singer Ernest
SAMSON, ALABAMA: 'American Idol' Season 22 contestant Michael Brant McCollough is a country singer who has recently discovered a passion for singing. Hailing from Samson, Alabama, Brant is a student who attended Kinston High School and currently studies at LBW Community College. Notably, he had a remarkable opportunity to join country singer Ernest onstage during his performance at the National Peanut Festival in Dothan, Alabama, in November 2023.
Ernest gave a shot to the aspiring singer to perform with him during the festival and Brant notably didn't disappoint the audience. Alongside his musical pursuits, Brant is also a sports enthusiast and played football as well as baseball. Notably, he served as the varsity quarterback for KHS. When the ABC show contestant wasn't on the field or at school, he dedicated his weekends and school breaks to performing at various venues, restaurants, private parties, and weddings.
He became an internet sensation after his cover of Sam Barber's 'Straight and Narrow' went viral and amassed nearly 132K likes and a whopping 610K views. Brant has also performed in local talent competitions and events during the last two years. He recently participated in Southern Lights: The Search for a Star '23 competition and made it to the finals.
The aspiring singer also was among the six competitors, winning two awards, including the Audience Choice Award. He has also won the Brethren Video Project Award. Additionally, he performed at the Geneva Festival on Rivers for the second year and opened the stage for 'American Idol' alum Colin Stough.
When did Brant McCollough start singing?
'American Idol' Season 22 contestant Brant McCollough may have recently begun performing on stage, but his musical journey started early. He has been singing since second grade and started playing guitar in third grade at the age of eight. Brant's first public appearance took place in December 2022, with encouragement from his parents.
Brant has been extremely passionate about his music and plans to pursue a career in the music industry. The aspiring singer shared in a recent interview, "I've always been told I could sing, so I just kind of listened to them and got out of my little shell about a year ago."
Brant McCullough teases 'American Idol' Season 22 appearance
Brant McCollough appeared to be excited about his 'American Idol' Season 22 gig and dedicated his social media to promote his ABC show appearance. The aspiring singer shared his photo with a guitar and announced on his Instagram, "Exited to announce that I auditioned for @americanidol season 22!! Tune in February 2024 to see if I get the golden ticket?!?!" Additionally, Brant has been speculated to bag a Golden Ticket and advance to the Hollywood Week.
Catch new episodes of 'American Idol' Season 22 every Sunday at 8 pm ET on ABC. The latest episodes are available to stream next day on Hulu.