Whether he appears on “American Idol” or not, Will Moseley has captured America's hearts.
The 23-year-old is a lifelong resident of Hazelhurst, a city of fewer than 5,000 people about 160 miles southwest of Savannah. He graduated from Georgia Southern University in the spring of 2023.
He also played football for the Maryville College Scots, a Division III team outside of Knoxville, Tennessee. In his personal history aired on “American Idol,” Moseley explained how he suffered three concussions over two seasons that left him with severe symptoms. question.
video:Georgia's Will Moseley surprises Idol judges with his performance of '(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay'
“Are the hits and risks I'm taking worth the long-term impact 30 years from now?” Moseley argued. “You can't reverse that.”
After his football career ended, Moseley picked up his guitar and began playing country music throughout Georgia.
“When you stand on stage and sing to people, you get an adrenaline rush,” Moseley said. “The feeling you get when you sing your song and people sing it back to you is life-changing.”
This culminated in an “American Idol” audition in Leesburg, where he sang the original “Gone For Good” in front of judges Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan.
Perry and Brian rose from their seats and waved their arms to the beat. In the second half, Brian from Leesburg joined in on piano. Richie had to leave early to catch a flight, but before he could, he gave Moseley an emphatic yes.
“I think Will is a star,” Ritchie said. “I loved the sound of his voice. His voice was amazing.”
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Moseley received the golden ticket from the judges and will advance straight to the first round of Hollywood Week. Her Moseley audition video has been viewed 1.4 million times on Facebook. The song debuted at number 13 on the Billboard country chart.
Since then, he has performed Chris Stapleton's “Whiskey and You” and Bill Withers' “Ain't No Sunshine,” both of which received very positive reviews from the audience and judges. He is currently in the top 24 and will be narrowed down to 20 players in Hawaii.
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“This moment is huge,” Moseley said. “This is the biggest opportunity I’ve ever had, and it could possibly be the biggest opportunity I’ve ever had.”
New episodes of “American Idol” air Sundays and Mondays at 8 p.m. Some clips from the latest episodes are also available on Idol's YouTube page.