Madison Watkins has impressed the judges enough to land in the top 24 on season 19 of American Idol. Now, she’s vying for a coveted spot in the top 16 — and she’ll have to nail her performance on the April 5 episode to get there! This week, the contestants are paired with celebrity duet partners for their performances, and they’ll have to make sure they stand out while singing with a professional.
For her duet, Madison will be singing with the incredible Tori Kelly. Other stars who are lending their voices to the competition include Ryan Tedder, Katharine McPhee, Jason Aldean, Jimmie Allen and more. Before Madison’s next performance, find out more about her here:
1. Madison Was Previously On ‘America’s Got Talent’
This isn’t the first time that Madison Watkins has been on a reality competition show! In 2016, she competed on season 11 of America’s Got Talent, which was eventually won by another singer, Grace VanderWaal. Madison almost didn’t make it through the audition round, as Howie Mandel voted ‘no’ on her performance. However, Simon Cowell, Heidi Klum and Mel B all gave her a ‘yes,’ and she made it to Judge Cuts. Although Heidi and guest judge, George Lopez, gave her a standing ovation for this performance, she was eliminated ahead of the Quarterfinals. Now, she’s getting her second chance!
2. Madison Is A Songwriter
In addition to being a singer, Madison is also a songwriter. In fact, for her American Idol audition, she sang an original song, which she wrote for her dad. The song, which was called “Your Little Girl,” impressed the judges, and so did Madison’s performance. She also played the piano during her audition, proving she’s extremely versatile as an artist.
3. Madison Has Already Released Music Of Her Own
Even though Madison is hoping to give her career a boost with American Idol, she’s already working as a singer. She released her debut EP in 2016, followed by another in 2020. Just earlier this year, she released her latest single, “Blinded,” which even had its own music video. Madison is so passionate about her music career, that she even left college after two years to make singing her priority and focus. She moved from Arkansas to Los Angeles in 2017.
4. Madison Has A Solid Social Media Following
In addition to having hundreds of thousands of followers on TikTok and Instagram, Madison also uses YouTube as a platform to connect with her fans. She has more than 8,000 subscribers on the site and often posts vlogs, videos of herself singing and more.
5. Madison Is A Hair Model
When Madison auditioned for American Idol, her occupation was listed as a ‘hair model.’ It’s true — she has gorgeous hair! A lot of her YouTube videos also feature hair tutorials, as well.