Cumberland singer Julia Gagnon advances to top 8 on ‘American Idol’

Julia Gagnon performs Bryan Adams’ “Here I Am” on Sunday’s episode of “American Idol.” Gagnon of Cumberland advanced to the “Idol” top 8. Photo courtesy of Disney/Eric McCandless

Cumberland singer Julia Gagnon remains a contestant on “American Idol” and advances to the show’s Top 8 on Sunday night.

The University of Southern Maine student and the other nine singers hoping to be crowned winners of this year’s signature competition performed songs from the year they were born, including the Goo Goo Dolls’ “Iris” (1998),” All the Small Things’ by blink-182 (1999) and ‘Here Without You’ by Three Doors Down (2003). The audience seemed impressed, booing, cheering and sometimes offering enthusiastic standing ovations after each song. The judges – pop singer Katy Perry, R&B legend Lionel Richie and country star Luke Bryan – also seemed impressed and praised.

Gagnon was the ninth participant of the evening. When it was her turn to take the stage, she walked out in black pants and a sparkly silver top and began singing Bryan Adams’ “Here I Am” (2002).

As her final note faded into the background, the live audience erupted in thunderous cheers. The judges praised her singing and performance.

“That was fantastic,” Richie said.

Perry said she thought Gagnon was Kelly Clarkson for a moment, while Bryan noted how her performance has improved since she started the show.

Gagnon seemed shocked and immediately hugged a fellow contestant when she learned she would advance to the top 8.

The remaining contestants will perform again on Monday night, after which one will be eliminated to create a top 7.

Gagnon was coached for Sunday’s performance by country music icon Shania Twain.

Julia Gagnon, left, and country music icon Shania Twain appear in a promotional image for “American Idol.” Photo courtesy of Disney/Eric McCandless

In clips of Gagnon’s workout that aired on the show, she said she chose the Adams song because of the way she relates to the story it tells.

“The lyrics really connected me to what it meant to me to be adopted,” she said.

Gagnon said she first heard the song, originally written for the animated film “Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron,” when she was four years old.

“Here I am, this is me/ I come into this world so wild and free,” she sang. “Here I am, so young and strong/Right here where I belong.”

Gagnon, a graduate of North Yarmouth Academy and a senior at the University of Southern Maine on a pre-law track, told the Press Herald before beginning her “Idol” journey that she had been reluctant to share her talent for singing because she didn’t want to stand out among her classmates.

The Guatemala native says she was bullied and harassed because of her appearance and background, which made her want to be quiet and stand out. But after a high school talent show, her choir teacher, Nora Krainis, encouraged her to sing in public. and worked with her parents, Meg and Jim Gagnon, to create opportunities for her to sing more.

She decided to try out for “American Idol” in part to share a special moment and journey with her birth mother in Guatemala, Sara Ramos, who is seriously ill and battling an infection, Gagnon told the Press in March Herald.

She was the last person to audition for season 22 in November. The jury awarded her one of only three platinum tickets for the singers with the strongest performances, meaning she made it through the first round of ‘Hollywood week’. She then competed against 150 others in the show’s Hollywood Week competition and reached the top 24.

People can vote from the start of each week’s episodes, Sunday and Monday, until 6am the next day. Online voting information can be found at idolvote.abc.com, and text votes can be placed by texting the number of the contestant you like, which will be announced during the show, to 21523. For more information on how and when need to vote, go to idolvote.abc.com/#faq.

This week, almost 21 million people voted during the live show.

Copy the story link

” Previous

Next one ”