The American Idol Top 10 is here and two of the three Platinum Ticket holders are still in the competition.
One of those ticket holders, country singer Huntergirl, is enjoying a strong ride and has yet to face the chance of elimination.
Not only that, but she also watched one of her original songs rise quickly up the music charts, much to her joy and surprise.
One of the big things about Huntergirl that has captured American Idol fans attention is what she does with her music. Huntergirl works with military veterans suffering from PTSD and other trauma, and she uses her music to help them.
What does Huntergirl from American Idol do for veterans?
Huntergirl, whose real name is Hunter Wolkonowski, said that her outlook on music completely changed after she started working with veterans. She has been working on building a music career in Nashville for the last 10 years and she also donates her time to working with veterans for the non-profit organization called Freedom Sings USA.
Hunter sits down with military veterans suffering from various problems based on the aftermath of serving and writes songs about them based on their experiences.
“We turn a story into a song,” Huntergirl before a recent American Idol performance. “I go into a room with a veteran and they talk about what they went through. We go record it in a studio and at the end, they have that song forever.”
She has also started what is known as the “Trailblazers” – an all-women veterans class.
Huntergirl explains how it changed her view of music
Huntergirl said this is important to her, as her family has a lot of people who served in the U.S. military. Her grandfather, great grandfather, and six great uncles all served in active duty.
“My outlook on music completely changed when I started working with veterans,” Huntergirl said, referring to how her music now has a lot more meaning than it did when she first started.
“First, in your head, you’re like, ‘Am I singing this song right?’ or ‘Is it good enough?’ talking about yourself,” Huntergirl said. “My outlook changed to be, ‘What song’s gonna help them?'”
“That’s the whole point of music anyway. It never has to be perfect, it just has to make people feel something,” she continued.
No matter how her American Idol journey ends, even if it is with the title at the end, she said she will, “do this for the rest of my life.”
American Idol airs on Sunday and Monday nights at 8/7c on ABC.