Seventeen-year-old Canaan James Hill showed up to American Idol with a mission: not just to sing, but to spread the Gospel. And he’s doing exactly that.

The Dallas native stunned judges Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan with a powerful rendition of Earnest Pugh’s I Need Your Glory that turned the audition room into a full-on worship service.

Richie stood up mid-song, raising his hands in praise. “That was powerful,” he said. “You have been so blessed.”

Hill, a content creator and aspiring preacher, told the judges he graduated high school early to follow what he believes is a calling from God.

“I’m so ready to spread the gospel,” he said after receiving one of the coveted platinum tickets.

Before his audition, Hill shared that he comes from a gospel-singing family and first felt inspired to sing after hearing his grandfather lead worship. “I was like, ‘Wow, I want to do that,’” he said.

Underwood called the performance “smooth but powerful,” while Bryan joked, “When you sing in church, do people just run to the baptism pit and jump in it?”

Hill has since continued to bring gospel music to the Idol stage with a cover of Marvin Sapp’s “Never Would Have Made It.” And if nothing else, he’s making sure faith has a front-row seat this season.

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Title: A 17-Year-Old Aspiring Preacher Is Absolutely Bringing Church to ‘American Idol’ This Season
URL: https://relevantmagazine.com/culture/a-17-year-old-aspiring-preacher-is-absolutely-bringing-church-to-american-idol-this-season/
Source: REL ::: RELEVANT
Source URL: http://www.relevantmagazine.com/rss/relevantmagazine.xml
Date: April 9, 2025 at 07:34PM
Feedly Board(s): Religion