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23-year-old Ashley Tankard is all set to audition for the 21st season of American Idol, which will air on ABC this Sunday, February 26 at 8 pm ET. This is the second round of auditions for the season, with 14 singers ready to impress the judges and win their golden ticket.
This is not Ashley’s first time auditioning for the popular singing competition. She has been trying to get in front of American Idol judges since 2015, i.e. when she was just 15 years old.
In an interview with ABC11, Tankard revealed that she wanted to inspire people to never give up, no matter how long it took for their dreams to become reality.
In 2022, she flew to Las Vegas with her elder sister and was finally able to convince the producers to let her audition.
About American Idol season 21 contestant Ashley Tankard
Ashley Tankard is from Durham, North Carolina. She is a student at Liberty University and often sings "soul, pop, and Christian" songs. She has more than 3,800 followers on Instagram and has been posting snippets of her American Idol audition.
In one of the promos, judge Katy Perry says:
"(You're) the little engine that could."
Ashely has had American Idol on her wishlist since 2004 when she saw a "young mom from High Point," Fantasia Barrino, win season three. Tankard also said that she had a "gift" that she wanted to share with the world. Ashley also revealed in her interview that she was a very "awkward" child who grew up in a big family, which often made her nervous.
Tankard has a lot of tattoos, including a mic with a rose on the bottom, which showcases her musical journey. In an Instagram post, Ashley shared that she is one year clean from "self-harm." She also posts many videos of her playing various instruments and covering different songs.
About American Idol season 21
The series' 21st season is judged by Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie for the 6th time since the show shifted to ABC in 2018. The season is being hosted by Ryan Seacrest. The auditionees had to perform in Las Vegas, New Orleans, and Nashville to get into the Hollywood Week round.
The qualifying contestants will receive a golden ticket, while one lucky singer will get a platinum ticket which will allow them the chance to skip the first round of the completion and pick their “Duet week” partners before anyone else.
ABC's description of the episode reads:
"Several participants from America showcase their singing talent in front of a panel of esteemed judges to win the title and a record label deal."
So far, the following contestants have qualified for the 21st season of the show:
- Colin Stough from Amory
- Lyric Medeiros from Honolulu
- Elijah McCormick from Nashville
- Zachariah Smith from Amory
- Haven Madison from Clarksville
- William Tongi from Kahuku
- Kya Monee from Austin
- Michael Williams from Mason
- Lucy Love from Holly Grove
- Megan Danielle from Douglasville
- Tyson Venegas from Vancouver
The winner of the series will win the title "American Idol" and an undisclosed amount of prize money.
American Idol airs on ABC every Sunday at 8 pm ET. Each episode is two hours long and is uploaded on Hulu and the network's website one day after the television premiere.
