Eighteen year old Kamloopsian, Cameron Whitcomb, earned a golden ticket during Monday's episode of American Idol. (Photo via Cameron Whitcomb/Twitter)
An 18-year-old Kamloopsian is going to Hollywood.
Cameron Whitcomb wowed American Idol judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie with his rendition of Rock, Salt and Nails during yesterday’s episode.
Whitcomb, who even did a backflip to show off his many talents, became the first-ever Canadian man to earn a golden ticket when he auditioned last October at the Lakeway Resort and Spa in Austin, Texas.
“During the summers I’m a Harley-Davidson mechanic and during the winters I pick stuff up and put it down somewhere else for 12 hours a day, six days a week,” he told judges. “Pipelining. It’s just crappy labour.”
Whitcomb said he never had any vocal lessons at the time of his audition, nor had he ever performed in front of anyone except family and friends, though he does post videos of himself singing on Instagram and TikTok.
“The tone that you have, if organized, you could be really something amazing,” Lionel Richie said. “But you’re not organized yet. You need time to just put it together.” He voted “no” and told Whitcomb to “work on it.”
However, Katy Perry was willing to give him a chance.
“I think there’s something there,” she said, interrupting Luke Bryan who was a touch hesitant.
“I’m not sure you know what you’re doing yet,” Bryan said. “Like, I’m not sure you know what you’re doing, right?…I mean that great. I don’t know if you know five songs or 500.”
He ended up giving Whitcomb the second “yes” vote he needed, adding “I just like you for some reason.”
How far Whitcomb – who did another backflip to celebrate – went remains a secret for now. Hollywood Week episodes for Season 20 of American Idol were taped in November, with the first of those episodes set to air starting next week, March 28.
Fourteen finalists will end up taking part in the live shows, which begin in April.
I cannot believe I had #AMomentLikeThis. I got the golden ticket and I’m heading to Hollywood! Thanks so much @KatyPerry, @LukeBryan and @LionelRichie! #AmericanIdol pic.twitter.com/zChY1LzvHW
— Cameron Whitcomb (@thecamwhitcomb) March 22, 2022
