Mike Parker may be a solo act, but on Easter Sunday, he took a collaboration song to new heights for his Top 20 performance on Season 20’s American Idol.
Performing Maren Morris and Ryan Hurd’s No. 1 hit “Chasing After You,” Parker sang both parts of the husband-and-wife ballad, turning the duet into a one-person crowd pleaser.
Seconds into his performance, the Virginia native had the audience hooked with his smooth velvet vocals and clear confidence. By the time the chorus hit, he had Luke Bryan’s jaw dropping.
“Do you see how the crowd reacted when you pulled the microphone off the stand?” Katy Perry asked Parker in amazement. “They lost it for a hot second. Do you understand that you have the power? Do you understand that you can make the room boom? You just did it, and it’s so wonderful seeing it coming out. It’s silky, and it’s smooth, and I believe it. You’re the next country artist.”
“The time is so right for you in the world of music. You are checking so many amazing boxes. It is so inspiring being in this room and watching. I use the word superstar, and I feel you are a superstar, too,” Bryan added.
“The thing I love most about you is you have a storyteller’s voice,” Lionel Richie added. “You have the ability to bring us right to the core and then explode calmly. The crowd gives me the impression that you’re on fire.”
Parker has been pursuing country music since the start of his Idol journey. He first auditioned for the show with Deana Carter’s “Strawberry Wine” and later performed Cam’s “Burning House” and Jimmie Allen’s “Best Shot.”
The hopeful’s performance during the three-hour telecast was the second showcasing of the night after long-running host Ryan Seacrest revealed his name as part of the Top 20. And judging by the crowd and judges’ reactions, it seems Parker has made a positive impression.
But will it be enough to secure him a slot in the Top 14? It is now up to America to decide Parker’s fate in the reality TV singing competition. For more information on how to vote, visit AmericanIdol.com/Vote.
Fans will find out if Parker moves forward on American Idol on Monday (April 18) during the Season 20 Top 14 results show on ABC.
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