A teenage aspiring preacher received a platinum ticket on “American Idol,” marking the latest example of a Christian musician experiencing success on the reality TV singing competition.
Canaan Hill, a 17-year-old from Dallas, Texas, is a contestant on “American Idol” whose audition aired Sunday on ABC. After explaining how he graduated from high school early, Hill told the judges, “I’m actually getting into preaching.”
“That’ll be coming up for me soon,” he added, saying he graduated from high school early “so that I could go forth with my gift and do what God has called me and chosen me to do.”
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Hill sang the gospel song “I Need Your Glory” by Earnest Pugh. His performance impressed the judges. Judge Lionel Richie went up to the teenager and placed a hand on his shoulder. Richie asked Hill, “Would you do that again,” adding, “That was powerful.” Hill responded, “Thank you so much. To God be the glory.”
Richie assured Hill that he has “been so blessed” and praised his performance as “something so spectacular.”
Judge Carrie Underwood said Hill’s singing sounds like “velvet” and “butter” because “it was smooth but powerful.” Underwood insisted that Hill has “a gift.”
“Thank you for bringing your gift to us,” she said.
As the other judges weighed in on Hill’s performance, Richie paced in the background. At one point, he chanted the phrase “Hallelujah.”
After judge Luke Bryan maintained that he “hadn’t seen anything like it,” the country singer asked Hill what people do when he sings at church.
“Do they just run to the baptism pit and jump in it and get saved immediately?” he asked.
All three judges gave Hill a resounding “yes,” advancing him to the next round of the competition. Richie said he would like to partner with Hill, remarking, “We open our church tomorrow.”
While most contestants receive a “golden ticket” when their audition meets the judge’s expectations, Hill earned a platinum ticket.
“It means you can bypass the first round of Hollywood, and you get to sit back and watch all the people you are going to slay. I present this to you from the heavens above,” Richie said.
Underwood clarified “There’s only three of these that go out.”
While Hill’s audition aired Sunday, the “Hollywood Week” portion of the series that significantly dwindles down the number of contestants kicked off Monday.
According to the Internet Movie Database, two more episodes of “Hollywood Week” will air in the coming days.
Following the conclusion of “Hollywood Week,” only 24 contestants will remain. The top 24 will perform at Disney’s Aulani Resort in Hawaii in episodes that will air on April 13 and April 14.
Hill is among several outspoken Christians appearing on “American Idol” in recent years.
In 2023, Christian singer Megan Danielle was the runner-up in the reality TV singing competition. Another contestant, Warren Peay, was a member of the worship team at Colston Branch Church in South Carolina. Peay was eliminated earlier in the season, failing to make it into the top 5 with Megan Danielle.
Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: ryan.foley@christianpost.com
