Caleb Lee Hutchinson has made it to the final rounds of competition on season 16 of American Idol.
The 19-year-old has been wowing fans since early in the competition and now, he stands a chance at being crowned the winner. He’ll have to take out both Maddie Poppe and Gabby Barrett first, however.
Win or lose, Caleb has made his mark on the music industry and could have a promising career ahead.
Caleb Lee Hutchinson has been selected as one of three finalists on the 2018 season of American Idol
Get familiar with the American Idol Season 16 finalist before the two-part finale airs on ABC. Here’s what you need to know.
Who is Caleb Lee Hutchinson?
Caleb Lee Hutchinson is a finalist on season 16 of American Idol. He is 19 years old and hails from Dallas, Georgia.
He auditioned for season 16 of the singing competition series after a failed The Voice tryout according to Hollywood Life. Caleb performed on the show in season nine, but wasn’t able to get any of the judges to turn their chairs.
While his attempt at The Voice stardom was less than successful, he’s managed to wow American Idol judges and fans week after week since his audition, during which he sang If It Hadn’t Been For Love by The Steel Drivers.
Caleb has been working hard to make his dreams of being a musician a reality for some time now.
In 2012, he performed at the Mill Town Music Hall in Atlanta, Georgia, where, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, he opened for American Idol Season four runner-up Bo Bice.
His singing voice isn’t the only thing that’s got American Idol viewers talking. Since auditioning for the show, Caleb’s lost about 70 lbs.
He revealed the astounding accomplishment during an April episode of the series, which was filmed in January.
‘I lost about 70 lbs. now,’ he said during the show. ‘One day I was like, wouldn’t it be cool if I drank water and walked every night?’
‘The more the Instagram picture likes went up the more I wanted to hit the treadmill,’ Caleb added with a laugh.
Caleb Lee Hutchinson high school
Caleb Lee Hutchinson graduated from South Paulding High School. During a recent episode of the show, he returned to his hometown for a visit to his high school where a pep rally was held in his honor.
Students were shown wearing T-shirts with his name and face on them cheering wildly at the sight of him.
Caleb performed a few songs for the crowd and thanked them for supporting him. He also urged them and the fans watching at home to remember to vote for him in the finale.
Caleb Lee Hutchinson The Voice audition
Caleb Lee Hutchinson auditioned to be on The Voice in season nine. He was not able to get any of the judges to turn their chairs, however.
Video from the performance couldn’t be found.
Caleb Lee Hutchinson American Idol audition
Caleb Lee Hutchinson’s American Idol Season 16 audition went much better than his The Voice audition. The teen wowed the judges with his rendition of If It Hadn’t Been For Love by The SteelDrivers.
He was given a golden ticket to Hollywood and the rest, as they say, was history.
American Idol final 3
Caleb Lee Hutchinson, Maddie Poppe and Gabby Barrett are the final three competitors on American Idol. All three have a serious following and have a good shot at winning the competition.
When is the American Idol finale?
The American Idol finale will air in two parts. The first will air on May 20, 2018.
During the episode, Caleb Lee Hutchinson, Maddie Poppe and Gabby Barrett will face off against one another one last time.
The next part will air on May 21, 2018. During that episode the winner will be announced.
What does the winner of American Idol get?
The winner of American Idol gets a recording contract with Hollywood Records as well as a cash prize of $250,000 (£185,000).