American Idol season 20 includes some of the best singers the show has ever seen. One of the most talented performers is Jay Copeland, who stunned the judges during the final round of auditions. The 23-year-old had one of the most memorable auditions of the season.
Who is Jay Copeland? He’s definitely one of the contestants to keep your eye on as season 20 continues to get underway. From his Platinum Ticket to his decision to drop out of graduate school for Idol, here are 5 key things to know about Jay.
1. Jay received the final Platinum Ticket.
Jay wowed the judges with his rendition of “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” by Stevie Wonder. They all gave him a standing ovation. “Your talent is off the chain,” Lionel Richie told him before adding, “We’ve been waiting for you to walk through that door.” Luke Bryan continued to rave over Jay. “You’re perfect, in my opinion.” The judges decided unanimously to give Jay the third and final Platinum Ticket of season 20.
2. Jay is from Maryland.
The singer hails from Salisbury, Maryland. Salisbury is the largest city on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Jay stayed local and went to Salisbury University after high school.
3. Jay dropped out of graduate school.
Jay graduated from Salisbury University and majored in music. He was in graduate school for acting, but he revealed during his audition that he was given an “ultimatum” to choose between American Idol and graduate school. Jay decided to drop out of grad school to pursue Idol.
Jay grew up in a ‘musical family.’
Jay was introduced to music at a young age, mainly through the church. “I grew up in a musical family,” Jay told The Star. “Music was a big part of our Sunday services, so it helped develop my ear for music at a young age. Once I reached middle school, I began singing in the school choir, where my middle school teacher at Salisbury Middle School, Mrs. Daniel, gave me my first solo, ‘Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.’ That’s when I discovered my passion for performing.”
5. Jay is on Instagram.
Jay is active on Instagram with nearly 13,000 followers. He often posts videos of his song covers. Jay has been posting frequently since making his American Idol debut.