The days on the “American Idol” set are long.
From learning songs and coming up with unique interpretations of those songs to working with vocal coaches and wardrobe advisers, the contestants can end up spending anywhere from nine to 12 hours a day on set preparing for the two-hour episode millions of viewers watch from the comfort of their homes each week.
It’s a lot of work, what Thunderstorm Artis describes as a “crash course” in navigating the music industry.
Sometimes, the singer said, it can be easy to get lost in the little details and forget the bigger picture — the magnitude of it all.
But with his wife and two young sons by his side, cheering him on each week, the 29-year-old singer from Hawaii — who was a finalist on “The Voice” five years ago — has now made the “American Idol” top five.
And he’s doing his best not to take it all for granted.
“I’m blessed that I’m still here in the top seven, to be able to do this week after week, even though it’s a lot of work,” he said before Sunday night’s episode. “I have to remind myself that I get to do this. This is a blessing. I could be doing a million different things, but I get to stand on stage and do something I’m really passionate about in front of millions of people in the world that are invested in my journey.”
The Deseret News previously spoke with Artis when he made the top 24 on “American Idol.” We caught up with him during a recent break in production to chat about some of his competition highlights since then — including expressing his faith during a special Easter episode, working with the legendary James Taylor and dedicating a performance to Faith, his wife of five years.
This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
Deseret News: We’ve talked before about how faith has been featured prominently on “Idol” this season. What was it like for you to perform in the Easter Sunday episode that highlighted songs of faith, and to share your faith on such a large platform?
Thunderstorm Artis: It was really, really special. My faith is something that’s very close to my heart, in the way that I try to live my life. And I feel like vocally, I haven’t been super outgoing about that on the show, but I’ve tried to show that through my actions.
So to have a round where I could really showcase that ... it’s really awesome to be able to give God glory through song and not just through my actions. So that was really special for me.
It was also really special to see how well America received that, and also how well all the other contestants really stepped up to the plate to deliver their faith. I honestly could not believe that “Idol” gave us the platform to do such a thing like that.
DN: What was it like to be in the same space as Carrie Underwood when she performed “How Great Thou Art”?
TA: Oh man, I don’t think there was a dry eye in the whole building. ... To hear her singing a praise song that way, with so much passion and conviction, it was amazing. I was like, “OK, we have to get up and sing after that?”
DN: You were able to work with James Taylor, who was an “American Idol” mentor for the top 14. On the show, you mentioned you’ve been a fan of his since you were six.
TA: My parents turned me on to his music. ... He was an artist my parents listened to a lot, but then I also gravitated to listen to a lot. He’s a part of some of the first singer-songwriters that I really started to pull from when I was beginning to write music.
There’s not many artists that embody being the same person on and off stage. And I think James has done that exceptionally well through his entire career.
DN: Can you talk about your decision to perform the James Taylor classic “Fire and Rain” on “Idol”?
TA: My parents used to cover a version of his song, so it was just really special to be able to get up on stage and kind of pull from both of those places, the way that I’ve heard James do it and the way that I’ve heard my parents do it, but also the way that I wanted to articulate it as well.
I think my mom offered a lot of different melodic choices that allowed me to kind of envision the song a little bit differently than the way James did it, but then also the way that I’ve worked to flourish things — kind of what I call “thunderfying” the song. But it really helped me to be able to kind of open my eyes to what could be done.
DN: How did it feel to kind of workshop that with James when he’s right there in front of you?
TA: It was absolutely terrifying, but it was beautiful as well. Getting to work with him was really special, and getting to hear him sing the song back to me was really special as well. And to also see that he loved what I did with my rendition of his song — that, I think, was just the most ultimate praise, validation, that I could receive.
Often you’re flipping songs, and you’re praying and hoping that the author will like it. So to be able to do that in front of the author and get the stamp of approval, to me, that just was like, “Man, I’ve accomplished what I was trying to do.”
DN: It seemed like you were really emotional when he was singing the song to you. What was going through your mind at that time?
TA: It was an experience that I never thought that I would ever get to experience in my lifetime. Being able to do that took me back to the time when I would be laying down on my bed listening to my iPod, listening to that song over and over. ... I was just really taken aback, and I was just like, “I don’t care about the cameras right now. I’m just going to enjoy this as a consumer.”
DN: On the show, we only catch a small glimpse of you getting to work with him. Were there any special moments or any advice that he shared that we didn’t get to see?
TA: We talked a lot about parenting. He’s an artist and also a father that has been in the industry most of his whole life.
I’m raising two little boys, and I travel all the time for music. He was just talking about the importance of being present when you are present, and making sure you continue to make them a priority in your life.
That’s just a message that echoes in my head, making sure that no matter how much fame I acquire or lack of fame that I acquire, that I continue to be present in my boys’ lives. I think often we miss out on that sort of thing.
DN: Did you catch when he said that he sees you as a sort of version of himself?
TA: I can’t believe he would think that about me. I try my best to be a very genuine and authentic person, an artist. So for him to see that, to me, was just the highest praise that I could receive.
DN: Later on, when “Idol” was announcing the show’s top eight, you were the last contestant to get your name called. What was going through your mind then?
TA: I started saying congratulations to Canaan (contestant Canaan James Hill). I really thought Canaan was going to get through that round.
I’m a huge fan of his as an artist and as an individual, and what he has delivered on the show. So I turned over and I was like, “Dude, I think this is it for me.” And then I was filled with just gratitude and so much surprise when they called my name.
It took so much to even get into the right headspace for the next performance, to be able to even be there presently. It was hard to sleep that night. It’s an emotional roller coaster being on a show like that.
DN: “Idol” has put a spotlight on your family this season, with (“Idol” host) Ryan Seacrest even mentioning at one point that you and your wife, Faith, had recently celebrated your fifth wedding anniversary. You dedicated your most recent performance, the Journey song “Faithfully,” to your wife. Can you talk about your decision to perform that song?
TA: “Faithfully” was one song that I had never really sung, but the whole reason that I’m in this competition is to push myself and try to be better as an artist, as a person.
When I listened to it, the lyrics really connected with my journey — I’m a full-time artist, always touring, and I miss out on a lot of moments.
My family is everything to me — they mean more to me than my career. That’s why it’s been so important to me, whatever moment I get, to be able to highlight them. As much as I’m in this, we’re in this together as a family. And hopefully someday my sons will look back on this, and be like, “Look what my dad did. I’m gonna do better than him,” and that’d be great.
DN: After that performance, you told your wife, “The world might have my gift, but you have my heart.” (“Idol” judge) Lionel Richie encouraged you to turn that into a song. Is that something you’re considering?
TA: When Lionel Richie puts something out there, man, you better get it done. I’m considering it for sure.
My wife started crying when I started singing to her. We were like eye to eye, and I was like, “Babe, if you keep crying, I’m gonna start crying, and I’m not gonna be able to sing the song.” It was really special to have that moment.
DN: On “The Voice,” you never got the chance to do a live show because your season aired during the early days of the pandemic. What has it been like to take part in that on “Idol”?
TA: There’s definitely a lot of chatter: People are like, “Hey, you’ve done this before,” and I’m like, “No, this is all new to me.”
When I did the live round on “The Voice,” I was shooting from my living room. Part of me really felt like I missed out on a lot, because I was so excited for all the things that was going to entail, but then to not be able to experience any of it was really disheartening.
So being able to experience all this stuff firsthand is just really fun, and it’s really exciting. It really is my first time being in a position like this. I’m just so blessed and filled with gratitude to be able to do this."