Georgia’s Willie Spence takes 2nd on ‘Idol.’ Look (and listen) to his amazing journey
Georgia’s Willie Spence finished second to Chayce Beckham on the 19th season of “American Idol.”
The 21-year-old singer, who finished as the runner-up in the nationwide vote Sunday night, was vying to become the first Black man to win since Ruben Studdard (Season 2) in 2003.
Spence, who grew up in Douglas, Georgia, emerged as a front-runner early on and soon became a fan favorite. He wowed judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan week after week with performances they often described as “uplifting” and “religious.”
“You have delivered since the day you walked into the audition,” Bryan told Spence after his finale performance. “You have delivered every single time, and I see you doing that the rest of your life buddy.”
The results drew mixed reactions among fans, including those who felt Spence should’ve been crowned this season’s winner.
“They just robbed Willie Spence blind right in front of the whole world,” one viewer wrote on Twitter.
“Most of the top 10 was so talented this year, but the only one who moved me, gave me goose bumps and tears every time was Willie!!” another fan commented on the American Idol Facebook page. “I so wanted him to win!! I know he doesn’t need it at this point because the world has now seen and experienced his talent and he will go far ... I can’t wait to see what he does now!”
Here’s a look at Spence’s journey on “American Idol”:
Road to Hollywood
The Georgia man’s journey on “Idol” began last fall when he blew the judges away with his cover of “Diamonds” by Rihanna. It was the song that rocketed Spence to internet fame in 2017 when someone recorded him singing the ballad at his grandfather’s church.
He would sing it once more during the competition.
Spence wows with Beyoncé ballad
Spence advanced to the next round after delivering a showstopping rendition of “I Was Here” by Beyoncé.
“Words cannot describe what I’m feeling right now,” Spence said after Bryan delivered the good news.
Duet with Katharine McPhee
Spence’s star continued to rise on the show and he was considered a shoo-in for the next round after his powerful duet with “American Idol” alum Katharine McPhee.
The pair sang their version of Céline Dion and Andrea Bocelli’s “The Prayer.”
Top 16
Spence left it all on the stage after delivering a soulful cover of Adele’s “Set Fire to the Rain,” earning him a spot in the Top 16.
“What we just saw is God took control of you,” Richie said. “You grabbed us, and then you knocked us down and you just stepped on us. It was a brilliant performance.”
Top 12
The next week, Spence stunned the judges yet again with a shining performance of “Diamonds” by Rihanna. This time he had the help of a live band and backup singers.
Spence wows on Oscars night, heads to Top 9
For Oscars night, Spence sang “Stand Up” by Cynthia Erivo from the Oscar-nominated movie “Harriet.” Perry said the performance “cut through the darkness.”
Disney Night
Spence moved on to the Top 7 after giving a magical performance of “The Circle of Life” from Disney’s “The Lion King.”
“You just climbed all of those mountains in that one song with all of those notes,” Perry said of the performance. “I love what you did; the arrangement was sparkly and magnificent. It was real spiritual and I just love you.”
Spence goes “Yellow” for Coldplay
Spence survived another night of live voting to advance to the Top 5. He stunned fans with a soul-stirring cover of Coldplay’s hit song “Yellow,” and was coached by the band’s frontman, Chris Martin.
“I have some insecurities, and the song really touched me,” he told Martin of why he chose the song.
And then there were three ...
Spence ascended into the Top 3 May 16 after fans voted to keep him around for the final round.
For his performance, he belted out a powerful rendition of “Glory” from the 2014 motion picture “Selma.” He also debuted his new single “Never Be Alone.”
This story was originally published May 23, 2021 at 10:02 PM with the headline "Georgia’s Willie Spence takes 2nd on ‘Idol.’ Look (and listen) to his amazing journey."