Dansville native advances to next level on American Idol
Jacob Moran, a Dansville native and Okemos resident, appeared on the Sunday, March 17 episode of “American Idol” on ABC. He auditioned in Louisville, Kentucky. Photo: Photo by ABC/David Williamson
By Patrice Johnson
Dansville native Jacob Moran, 25, wowed American Idol’s celebrity judges in his ABC audition, aired Sunday night, March 17. Now, the full-time nurse at Sparrow Hospital is headed for Hollywood.
SCN first reported on the 2012 Dansville graduate’s performance at the Wooden Nickel before unnamed television cameras. “Jacob Moran of Dansville sings at the Wooden Nickel Nov.16 to an undisclosed film crew. Stay tuned for a television performance, perhaps?” Link: Jacob Moran sings at the Wooden Nickel to television film crew
According to the Detroit Free Press and Lansing State Journal Reporter Rachel Greco, “Moran’s turn in front of Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Ritchie at Louisville, Kentucky’s Muhammad Ali Center earned nothing but praise.”
“You have an unbelievable voice, my friend,” Bryan said after Moran crooned “Ariana Grande’s “Into You.”
“So you’re a nurse?” Perry asked. “I’ll let you sing to me when I’m not feeling well.”
“I’d love to,” Moran told her.
“You have the best voice we’ve heard in all of Kentucky,” Perry said. “You’re the best voice.”
“We are completely dumbfounded here because it’s gorgeous,” Ritchie told Moran.
“Of course, you can always fall back on nursing, and you can always take care of people, but if you say yes we can help you transform into an idol,” Perry said.
“Your life is about to change,” Bryan told Moran, before all three judges voted yes on giving him a ticket to compete in the competition’s “Hollywood Week.”
Moran, who has been singing since age 5, said he was “floored” when a show representative reached out and asked him to consider auditioning for the next season of American Idol.
“Believe in yourself and you can do this,” Perry said before handing him a ticket.
Videos of Moran putting his own spin on his favorite songs may be found on his Instagram account, jacob_._moran and on Facebook
During Idol’s “Hollywood Week,” contestants who received tickets after their auditions will move forward to compete later this month.
Contact Reporter Rachel Greco at [email protected].
Patrice Johnson
Editor in Chief of Stockbridge Community News. Author of national award winning, "The Fall and Rise of Tyler Johnson"