A single mom and music teacher from Pensacola, Florida, Keyla Richardson brought her A-game to the audition rounds of season 24 of “American Idol.” Singing “Glitter in the Air” by Pink, Richardson delivered a strong performance that even made judge Luke Bryan cry.
Richardson’s powerhouse vocals carried her all the way to the finals, where she finished in third place behind runner-up Jordan McCullough and winner Hannah Harper. Still, fans have witnessed several Idol contestants who didn’t go home with the title go on to build successful careers, and many believe Richardson is on the same path.
Keyla Richardson Opens up About Her ‘American Idol’ Experience
DisneyAfter placing third on season 24 of “American Idol,” Keyla Richardson returned home to Pensacola, Florida, where she sat down with Wear News’ Sue Straughn to share her experience on the show.
“It was really great; it was a great experience. I learned so much. I learned how to be an artist; it grew me up a lot,” Richardson told Straughn.
She continued, “It taught me which way to go, which direction, and it taught me how to be patient. It really taught me how to be patient. I’m so thankful for the journey.”
In her interview, Richardson shared that being a gospel singer for years naturally came through every time she stepped on the Idol stage, something that ultimately set her apart from other contestants.
“I think it just naturally comes out with every song that I sing. No matter the genre, no matter what I’m singing, it’s just going to come out. It’s who I am, she shared.
Richardson Shares the Fun & Tough Parts of ‘American Idol’
DisneyWhile it’s natural for “American Idol” contestants to feel nervous, especially those who have never performed in front of large crowds, that wasn’t the case for Richardson. Already an established gospel singer before joining season 24, Richardson entered Idol hoping to reach a wider audience and take her career to the next level.
“It was natural for me,” Richardson said when asked how it felt being “thrust into the spotlight” on Idol. “It was a lot. I’m human, but God carried me through it all. Just to be on all those different stages in those different cities, it was an amazing feeling,” she shared.
“It felt natural, it felt like I’ve been doing it,” Richardson added.
It came as no surprise when the finalist also shared that the most fun part of her Idol experience was taking the stage.
“The most fun part was just getting on the stage and just being able to go ahead and just sing the song because it’s such a waiting process,” she revealed. “Show days, those were the best parts, very fun.”
When it came to the hardest parts of her Idol journey, Richardson doubled down when she shared that it was simply waiting for her turn to take the stage.
“The hard part was me, like I said, having to wait for show day, you know, you do rehearsals during the week, and then you have to wait to sing your song. I was just so ready every week, day in, day out. I would go to sleep and couldn’t get rest because I was ready to perform these songs and see what the outcome was going to be.”
Richardson promised fans that she planned to release new music very soon, sharing, “I just want everybody to stay tuned.”
