It’s been five years since Thunderstorm Artis entered “The Voice” competition with a heartfelt rendition of The Beatles’ “Blackbird” that won over all four coaches. It was the first of what would be several impressive performances on the show as the singer from Hawaii made it all the way to the finale.
Artis ultimately placed third on the show — and has been avidly pursuing music in the years since.
His song “Stronger” was featured on the Season 19 premiere of “Grey’s Anatomy” (that version has been streamed more than 14 million times on Spotify), and his 2023 single “Stand Up Eight“ has more than 1 million streams on Spotify. He also opened for the band Train in the summer of 2023.
Now, the 28-year-old singer is back in the reality competition spotlight — this time on “American Idol.”
Artis has now officially made it to the show’s top 24, and based on his run (so far), it’s clear that “American Idol” is showcasing a different side of the singer than viewers saw on “The Voice.”
Thunderstorm Artis auditions for ‘American Idol’
Artis made his “American Idol” debut doing something he never got to do on “The Voice”: perform an original song.
The singer, who currently resides in Nashville with his wife, Faith, and two kids, performed a song he wrote called “Don’t Let Me Let You Go.”
“It’s about mine and my wife’s journey, and just about the hardship of relationships as well — especially the times where it feels like you might be pulling away at times, and it’s important for the other person to be that anchor for you," he told the “Idol” judges. “And so this song’s a little bit about how she’s my anchor, and holding me down in the times when I’m weak.”
With his wife, kids and a few family members there to support him, Artis performed the song. As soon as he started singing, Carrie Underwood and Lionel Richie shared a knowing smile, and Richie proceeded to give a thumbs-up. When it was all over, the singer had a standing ovation from all three judges.
“Your voice, it’s got a soulful thing, it’s got a really sweet thing, you’ve got that growl at the top. Like, you took all the genres and you just rolled them up into a ball and then just threw that ball at us — that’s what you did," Underwood said. “It was so good.”
All of the judges praised Artis’ songwriting and his ability to create a song that was so relatable.
“There’s a point in this competition where we’re looking for people who stand out. And man, you’ve jumped all the way out,” Richie said.
“Thanks for trusting the ‘American Idol’ family with your talents,” Luke Bryan added.
The judges then gave Artis a golden ticket to Hollywood, allowing him to advance to the next round of the competitoin.
“Music is not the easiest road you could take,” Artis’ wife told “Idol” producers. “But he’s been working at this his whole life. I’m just so proud of him.”
Thunderstorm Artis sings in the ‘American Idol’ Hollywood round
Artis once again showcased his original music during the first round of Hollywood Week, which premiered Monday night.
This time around, he chose to perform “My Last Dying Breath,” a song he wrote for his wife.
The performance got a standing ovation from all three judges, with Underwood stating: “You are an artist. ... Just more. Give me more of that.”
“It just means a lot,” Artis said of getting that praise from Underwood. “I think this experience for me kind of goes back to something my father used to say, was not, ‘Do as I say,’ but ‘Do as I do.’ And I think for my sons, I want to show them about taking chances, and ‘American Idol’ for me is taking a huge bet on myself and saying like, ‘I think that I can do more than what I’ve done.’ And if I can set that example for them and they can be proud of me, then that means the world to me, ‘cause they are my everything.”
Thunderstorm Artis makes the ‘American Idol’ top 24
Artis performed his first cover on “American Idol” during the Showstopper portion of Hollywood Week, showcasing a powerful rendition of John Lennon’s “Imagine.”
“I hope the judges saw a little bit more of my artistry in this, ” Artis said following the performance, per The Honolulu Star-Advertiser. “I hope they can see how I could branch out a little bit from just originals, and I hope they can really take away and see something worth investing in.”
Artis secured his spot in the top 24 following a duet of Lord Huron’s “The Night We Met” with fellow “Idol” contestant Drew Ryn.
Who is Thunderstorm Artis?
“American Idol” is the latest chapter in Artis’ pursuit of a music career, but his love of music formed long before his appearance on any reality competition show.
He was surrounded by it as he grew up in a large musical family (he’s one of 11 kids). His father, Ron Artis, was a session musician who played keyboards on Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” per the Deseret News.
When his father died suddenly from a heart attack, Artis began singing more as a way to cope with his grief, according to the singer’s bio for “The Voice,” as the Deseret News previously reported.
“I built up all these walls, and as a kid those walls were a protection. But when I became an adult, those walls were more of a prison not allowing me to feel the things I needed to feel,” Artis shared on “Idol” Monday night.
“But because of the tool and the beauty of music that he gave me, it allowed me to process all those things and use it as a way to bring light into the world.”
Artis’ YouTube channel features a mixture of originals and covers. His latest single, “Take it Slow,” came out earlier this year.
And while the singer is no stranger to reality competition shows, “American Idol” has the potential to be different from “The Voice” because Artis can perform original music and, if he makes it far enough, perform for a live audience (Artis’ season of “The Voice” five years ago took an unprecedented turn due to the pandemic, with the season finale taking place remotely).
In 2023, Artis released “Surprise,” a song about his wife, who he met shortly after doing his blind audition for “The Voice.”
“We met randomly at a concert,” Artis previously told People. “At the time, I didn’t think that true love really existed. And to my surprise, she came into my life and tore down a lot of these walls.
“I’ve always written from a place of pain and turmoil and deep, thought-provoking things,” he continued. “But with ‘Surprise,’ I wanted to go the opposite way. It was the first time that I was able to write about something that I’m super happy about.”