Trying out for the ABC talent competition was always something Douglas wanted to do, but fear got in his way. But he got a huge surprise when ABC13 in Houston presented him with the VIP Affiliate Pass to audition in Austin, Texas for judges Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan. “They heard me singing in school,” said an overwhelmed Douglas of the local ABC station. “I have always wanted to audition for American Idol, but I’ve never really left the state or been on an airplane. I was about to faint honestly. It was a complete surprise.” ABC13 gave Douglas his shot and he made the most of it. He got a golden ticket to Hollywood for his soulful rendition of “Strange Fruit,” which he selected because the Black community “has gone through so much pain over the past few centuries. It’s time to bring awareness to it.” All three judges jumped to their feet when he was done and they plied him with compliments. “What happened? Lionel asked. “I blanked out, passed out, woke up. Young man, that was superb.” Then Katy asked why he’d never tried out for the show before, to which Douglas replied, “People have always told me I wasn’t good enough.” “Are you kidding me?” Katy said. “Is that why you really never tried out?” “A little bit,” Douglas answered her. “And I was too scared thinking I wasn’t going to make it or anything like that.” Katy reassured him that he’s a superstar. “You transcend time and space. You froze the room. That was iconic.” Next Luke added, “It was like you took our bodies and you hypnotized us. You took us on a journey. You controlled every second of that. I am speechless about it.” And Lionel wrapped it up saying, “You know what you don’t need? Charts. You don’t need pop charts or R&B charts, you’re off the charts. In fact, you might even create one of your own.” With that, they told him he was going to Hollywood. In his video package, Douglas explained that he had been bullied when he was younger and teased with nicknames like gorilla and King Kong. Music became his life because it was a safe place from doubters and haters and people who just generally didn’t like him. “People have said, ‘You can’t be that person you want to be,’” Douglas said. “It was very painful. I was like, ‘What’s going on?’ Still today, it’s hard for me to love myself but music has helped me out. When I’m singing, I don’t care what no one says. Music can heal. It helps you love yourself for who you are.” American Idol airs Sunday nights at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC. Next,American Idol 2022! Everything You Need to Know, Including the Two New Mentors and the Two Big Changes!
