Filipino-American musician Francisco Martin successfully overcame his nervousness from the auditions and came out a winner in the eyes of the American Idol (AI) judges and fellow contestants during his Hollywood Week performance.
The college student from San Francisco went on the AI Hollywood Week stage on March 16, 2020, (U.S. time) and sang a cover of “Hold Back the River” by James Bay while playing his guitar.
Martin’s performance will be judged in the “Singer-Songwriter” category of Hollywood Week.
Right after the performance, the AI judges and Martin’s fellow contestants in the audience were seen giving the Filipino singer a standing ovation.
Judge Lionel Richie proudly declared Martin as, “My boy”, reminiscent of the pop icon’s support during the earlier auditions.
In the February auditions, judge Katy Perry declared him a Top 10 while Luke Bryan wrote him up as a winner after watching his cover of Maggie Rogers’ “Alaska” that had the original singer retweeting the performance.
Talent Recap has declared Francisco Martin a fan favorite in the running for the grand title of American Idol Season 18 which airs Sundays and Mondays.
Fan support came in the way of encouraging posts, with Instagrammer @avery_connell7 referring to Francisco Martin as, “my absolute favorite on the show🥺💖
@maddyrod_ declared, “i love him w my whole entire heart. he’s cute AND humble. rooting for him all the way💙”
@tamster418 shared a prediction: “Awesome 😎on his way to the top 👏”
Francisco Martin went on social media on Friday after the show, posting his version of self-quarantine as endless songwriting, referring to the quarantines being declared all over the world as the COVID-19 pandemic rages.
Martin invited supporters to watch his next performance on Sunday, March 22, and teased about performing a duet.
American Idol is a reality television series hosted by Ryan Seacrest with a panel of judges who critique the contestants’ performances as they compete for a recording contract. It debuted in 2002 on Fox Network and became one of the most-watched shows in the United States with several country adaptations across the world.
WATCH Francisco Martin on American Idol’s Hollywood Week here and SEND CHEERS in the comments below!
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