Mike Parker set out to do something special on American Idol, and he made it all the way to the top 10.
On Disney Night, Mike’s American Idol journey came to an end after he sang You’ll Be in My Heart from Tarzan.
It was a great performance, but when it comes to the top 10, it is hard to advance and competition is stiff.
After leaving American Idol, Mike talked about how overwhelming the experience was with his fans.
Mike Parker on his American Idol exit
After his elimination, Mike posted a photo of two young boys wearing Mike Parker shirts on Instagram.
“I cant describe, in words, the overwhelming feeling of love I’ve received throughout this part of my journey,” Mike wrote. “These pictures are all I need to do that!”
He continued, “To the 20 + thousand new followers: I CANT WAIT TO SEE YOU IN YOUR CITY!! Thank you @americanidol. You changed my life forever!”
What was special about the photo was it was two young Black kids wearing the Mike Parker shirts.
Mike is a black country music singer, and he knows that is an uphill battle in the genre.
For Mike, his idol was Jimmie Allen, and Mike went farther than Jimmie did when he appeared on American Idol. Jimmie made it past the audition round on the show many years ago, but he never made it to the live voting rounds. He never let that stop him, and he ended up as one of today’s top country singers.
For Jimmie, his idol was Charlie Pride and he said he was honored he carried that on to become a mentor to Mike. Now, Mike has the chance to influence yet another generation of young Black children who want to be country music stars.
Mike Parker’s American Idol journey
Mike Parker came to the auditions and proved himself worthy of a golden ticket when he made it to Hollywood Week.
It was there that he proved that he belonged when he sang Second Guessing by Florida Georgia Line and moved on to the top 24. In the top 24, he sang Best Shot by Jimmie Allen, with Jimmie as his mentor, and moved on.
However, Mike had his first setback in the top 20 when fans did not vote him into the top 14 after performing Chasing You by Ryan Hurd. This meant he needed to sing his way in, and after singing Bed on Fire by Teddy Swims, the judges saved him.
In the top 14, Mike sang Hurricane by Luke Combs, and the fans saved him here. The Judges Song Contest saw him sing Chasin’ You by Morgan Wallen, and he got one more week.
That led to Disney Night, where Mike Parker finally went home.
American Idol airs on Sunday and Monday nights at 8/7c on ABC.