Justin Rhodes is a piano player and singer who was on the ninth season of “America’s Got Talent.”
He auditioned with Avicii’s “Wake Me Up.” He sang and played the keyboard. The judges were impressed by his talents, and he received four yeses that sent him on to judgment week.
During his audition, he explained where he got his love of music.
He said:
“My dad sat me down, and that was the beginning of music for me.”
He also explained that his parents didn’t want him to pursue a career in music. Although they were supportive in other aspects of his life, he was on his own when it came to his music. He said:
“It has not been an easy road. It quickly became what would be my undoing.”
He decided that he still wanted to be a musician, so he moved from Buffalo, New York, to New York City, where he ended up playing in bars and clubs.
Having drinks after work eventually turned into a drug addiction.
He explained:
“It was the darkest time of my life.”
He knew that this was probably the reason his parents had discouraged him from pursuing his music career. Although his parents never said it to him, he knew they were disappointed, especially his dad. He was also disappointed in himself. He added:
“I was ashamed, I was embarrassed, and I was worthless.”
Justin’s father hadn’t seen him perform since he was a young boy, and Justin was nervous about what his father might say when he watched the audition.
Justin hoped his father would see him and be proud of him. He said;
“This audition isn’t just about me succeeding. It’s about me proving to my dad that I am worth something. This is what I was meant to do.”
During his audition, his father was in the audience and was moved to tears. It turns out his son could sing, and he was sad that he had never bothered to watch him before that. Justin felt that he and his father had made up, and he was glad his father had finally heard him sing and was so moved by the performance.
The judge’s comments helped seal the deal, and he was one step closer to realizing his dreams.
For the next show, he performed “I’m Only Human” by Christina Perri. While his second performance also moved his dad to tears and got a strong reaction from the audience, the judges didn’t appreciate it as much.
They decided to send him home that week. He was devastated, and so were many fans who thought that he not only should have made it another week but was one of the top performers on the show. Justin was upset, but now that he has the support of his father, he is much more likely to continue to pursue his career in music.
Right after the show, Justin started hearing from people in the music industry who like the sound of his voice.
In an interview, he said:
“I’ve already gotten calls from record companies and people in studios who want to work with me so in a sense you are right I have already won.”
This was what he was hoping for.
He later said:
“A few of the people I’ve met being at the auditions with them – their careers – even just from being on one episode – has taken them from a couple hundred viewers and followers to 15,000. So, I’m hoping that this first episode can kind of jump-start things.”
Justin may still have some work to do before his music career takes off, but it looks like “America’s Got Talent” put him in a good place. He now has the support of his parents and has gotten the attention of people in the music industry. Hopefully, he gets to see his dreams come true.
The Auditon: Justin’s emotional audition is the one that initially went viral – it’s not hard to see why when you watch it.
Watch Justin’s emotional audition in the video below:
However, Justin was sent home after his next performance. While his dad was moved to tears, the judges were not as impressed.
Even though Justin was sent home, it’s encouraging to see that he is still making music. We wish you the best, Justin!
