Reviewed by: Pat Byington
McIntosh native eliminated just before American Idol finale
Reading time: 3 minutes
McIntosh native Triston Harper stole plenty of hearts during his time on American Idol but that run came to an end earlier this week.
Harper made it to the Top 5 after a strong performance during Adele Night. But after votes came in during Disney Night on Sunday night, Harper was left just outside next week’s finale.
Keep reading to find out more about Harper’s time on the show + what comes next for him, including a homecoming parade.
A future country music star
Since his first audition, Harper made it clear he was fit for a career in country music. After he sang “Life is a Highway” during Sunday’s show, Luke Bryan said Harper will “be on a highway in a tour bus one of these days.”
When votes were announced, Bryan and the other judges seemed surprised to see Harper and Emmy Russell get eliminated at the end of the night.
Harper stuck with his country roots throughout the show, often singing country songs while giving some other challenges a more country feel than the original renditions. His final list of songs for the whole season included:
- “Cover Me Up” by Jason Isbell
- “By Your Grace” by Cody Johnson
- “God’s Country” by Blake Shelton
- “H-O-P-E” by Triston Harper
- “Til You Can’t” by Cody Johnson
- “Heartbreak Hotel” by Elvis Presley
- “Beautiful Crazy” by Luke Combs
- “She’s Country” by Jason Aldean
- “Sand in my Boots” by Morgan Wallen
- “T-R-O-U-B-L-E” by Travis Tritt
- “Easy on Me” by Adele
- “Life is a Highway” by Tom Cochrane
- “Almost There” by Randy Newman
What’s next for the teen?
While there may be a return to school and normal teenager life sometime soon, Harper is still hoping to build off his American Idol success.
There is a tentative schedule to celebrate his success that was shared on his Facebook page. The celebration in McIntosh will include:
- Concert: Friday, May 24, 6PM – MOWA Reservation or Fairgrounds
- Parade: Saturday, May 25, 11AM – Town of McIntosh
- Pow Wow: Sunday, May 25, 5PM – MOWA Choctaw Reservation
He has also already announced the next chapter of his official music career. One of his original songs that he sang during the competition will soon be released as his first official single.
Make sure to keep an eye on the other two Alabama natives still competing in television competitions including:
Do you believe Triston Harper should have made the American Idol finale? Let us know by tagging The Bama Buzz on Instagram, X, Facebook + LinkedIn.
