‘It’s all panning out.’ Kentucky teen will make another appearance on ‘American Idol.’
Dakota Hayden was proud to have made it has far as he did before being eliminated from “American Idol” last season, but he’s not done yet.
Hayden, of Fordsville, outside Owensboro, has auditioned for Season 21 and has made it through to the next round.
“I feel like I have a lot more to show,” Hayden, 18, said in an interview Tuesday. “I feel like I’ve grown so much since last season.”
The “Idol” judges sent Hayden to Hollywood last season, but he did not make it into the top 24.
“Dakota, everything you’re giving us at 17 years old telegraphs big star on the rise. But at 17, you’re still a little young,” Luke Bryan told him after he was eliminated in a head-to-head challenge against Dan Marshall for a final spot in the top 24.
Katy Perry encouraged him to move to Nashville and continue pursuing a career in music.
Now that he’s graduated from high school, Hayden said he’s free to chase his dream. He’s been taking voice lessons and performing every chance he gets.
“It’s all panning out the way I wanted it to,” he said.
And he said his appearance on “American Idol” helped give him the boost he needed. He said he’s gotten more calls to perform at different venues in Kentucky and surrounding states.
“Overall, it was a great experience,” he said of his appearance on the show. “I loved every minute of it.”
But what about the fact that a Kentucky country singer just won the last season of the show? Does Hayden think Noah Thompson’s win will affect his chances of advancing?
“It’d be great for two Kentucky guys to do good on the show,” he said.
The last open call audition date for the next season of “American Idol” is scheduled for Sept. 14 according to the show’s website. A premier date for Season 21 has not been confirmed, a spokeswoman said, but it will likely be early next year.
“It’s 100 percent a good thing to try for,” Hayden said. “If I didn’t love it, I wouldn’t be going back.”
This story was originally published September 14, 2022 at 7:02 AM.
