Who is Spencer Wells? 'American Idol' Season 22 contestant is a former UH football player
PEARLAND, TEXAS: Spencer Wells is a University of Houston graduate and former football player hailing from Pearland, Texas. At the age of 24, he is eagerly competing for his opportunity to secure a golden ticket to Hollywood on 'American Idol' Season 22.
Wells shared that his journey to audition for'American Idol' began unexpectedly when his dad went for a haircut. "My dad was getting a haircut next door to a bar, Friends Pub, that was hosting a karaoke competition," Wells recalled. "I decided to enter the karaoke competition and ended up winning it. Interestingly, one of the judges during the final night of the competition had previous ties to 'American Idol.'"
This fortunate encounter served as Wells' entry point to securing an audition for 'American Idol'. "In short, I had a few Zoom calls and eventually had the opportunity to perform in front of Katy, Luke, and Lionel," Wells explained, highlighting the unique and serendipitous path that led him to his "Idol" audition.
Spencer Wells got his musical talents from his father who played the piano
Spencer Wells recently shared with ABC13 that his musical talents were influenced by his father, who frequently played the piano. "He played the piano all the time when I was younger, and I guess I can kind of attribute that to the ear I have for music," Wells explained. "The first time I heard music or was around music was around my dad. And I guess that's just where I got it from."
Despite being immersed in music from a young age, Wells admitted that he didn't realize he could sing until high school. He recounted how his dad requested his choir teacher to include him in the school's pop show, which marked the beginning of him taking singing more seriously.
'American Idol' Season 22 contestant Spencer Wells played tight end for the Houston Cougars for three years
After graduating from Dawson High School, where his father served as the head football coach, Wells pursued his passion for sports by playing tight end for the Houston Cougars for three years. Reflecting on his athletic journey, Wells shared, "I knew that I really wanted to play sports at the next level - at the collegiate level. When I started doing this [singing], I knew I always had it in my back pocket."
Wells continued, explaining how his love for singing was evident even during his football days. "Even on the team, in the locker room and during practice and stuff, I would just sing and mess around, and everyone would be like, 'Dude, you need to do something with this. Why are you here?'" This encouragement from his teammates further fueled his desire to pursue music alongside his athletic endeavors.
Spencer Wells wants to "find" his voice in music
In January, Spencer Wells excitedly informed his Instagram followers that he would be auditioning for 'American Idol'. In his caption, he expressed gratitude, writing, "I am grateful to say that I will be auditioning for Luke Bryan, Katy Perry, and Lionel Richie on Season 22 of American Idol! Thankful to God and everyone who helped me with the process!! Tune in to @abcnetwork @hulu on February 18th to see if I make it to Hollywood and get a golden ticket!"
Abi Carter, another contestant on 'American Idol' Season 22, enthusiastically commented on his post with "YEAH HE DID!"
During the actual audition, Wells described the experience as surreal and acknowledged feeling a bundle of nerves. "Throughout the whole day, I felt like I was going to have an anxiety attack, to say the least," he admitted. However, he also expressed that it was one of the most rewarding moments of his life. "Just walking in there and experiencing this rush of 'This is happening' was incredible," he added.
As someone new to the music industry, Wells admitted that he's uncertain about what the future holds after his 'American Idol' journey. He mentioned being influenced by various genres and artists, including country, R&B, old soul, and Christian gospel music. "I just want to keep taking it day by day, trying to do the best that I can, singing, and discovering my voice in music," Wells concluded, expressing his dedication to continuous growth and exploration in his musical journey.
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You can catch new episodes of 'American Idol' Season 22 every Sunday at 8 pm ET on ABC. The latest episodes will be available to stream the next day on Hulu.