Fritz Hager is one of the top 10 contestants on season 20 of American Idol, and he has a great chance to win the whole thing. The 21-year-old Texas native said in Hollywood that he wasn’t one of the best singers, but he is proving himself wrong each week as he ups his game and delivers knockout performances.
For Fritz’s audition, he sang Lewis Capaldi’s “Before You Go” and only got two out of three yes votes from the judges. Luke Bryan was unimpressed, since the beginning of Fritz’s audition was shaky until he got to the chorus of the song. Fritz let the rejection fuel him in Hollywood Week, swooning the judges with his falsetto in “Unsteady” by X Ambassadors. Fritz and fellow Top 10 contestant Leah Marlene paired up for a fun rendition on Bruno Mars’ “Locked Out Of Heaven” before Fritz stunned during the Showstoppers round with an original.
Fritz’s greatest appeal is his personal story of wanting to pursue music despite his parents expecting him to chase a more traditional career. His original song showed the difficult relationship he has with his parents because of it. Since advancing to the Top 24, Fritz has taken hold of his opportunity, crushing every single performance. His Top 24 rendition of Dean Lewis’ “Waves” was memorable. The show seemed to realize he’d be a favorite, too, placing his performance at the very end of the episode, which they tend to do early on with contestants they think the audience will like.
Fritz’s Top 20 was his best so far, as he brought Katy Perry to tears with Billie Eilish’s “When The Party’s Over”. He followed it up with a fun, upbeat performance of “Golden” by Harry Styles and hasn’t missed a beat with “Let It Go” by James Bay and “Wonderwall” by Oasis. Now, Fritz is in the Top 10, having never needed the judges to save him.
Fritz said he wanted to be the next Phillip Phillips, a former winner who wished Fritz luck on his journey. While Fritz might not be the greatest vocalist of the bunch, his songs are memorable and moving. He clearly has a devoted fanbase, since he’s never been close to going home. There’s rarely been a misstep since Fritz arrived in Hollywood, and he has shown enough artistry with his versions of songs to make them his own. American Idol voters want to support a contestant who can be a strong representation for the season as a whole. While Fritz wouldn’t be the strongest vocalist to win, he’d be one of the most satisfying winners.
American Idol airs Sundays and Mondays on ABC.
