After falling just short of winning The Voice in 2020, Thunderstorm Artis admits he was nervous about re-entering the world of reality TV. Ultimately, the 29-year-old native Hawaiian decided to take the plunge, auditioning for season 23 of American Idol. Consistently delivering brilliant performances week after week, Artis is still in the game at the Top 7. Regardless of the outcome, he’s walking away with much more than career advice from mentor James Taylor.
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James Taylor Told ‘American Idol’ Star To Do This One Thing When It Comes to His Children
Five years after his stint on The Voice, Thunderstorm Artis walked onto the set of American Idol with a renewed purpose. Much of that purpose has to do with wife Faith and their two sons, Ezekiel and Zion. Tying the knot just before Artis was set to begin his virtual live shows for The Voice season 18, the couple celebrated their fifth anniversary last month.
As a six-time Grammy Award winner and father of four, James Taylor has learned a thing or two about balancing parenthood with professional goals. When the “Fire and Rain” singer-songwriter, 77, stopped by the Idol set to mentor the top 14 contestants, he shared advice with Artis on both fronts.
“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,” the Idol star recently told The Deseret News.
Artis continued, “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.”
Thunderstorm Artis Is a Big James Taylor Fan
Even minus the parenting tips, working with James Taylor on American Idol was a huge honor for Thunderstorm Artis. He’s been a fan of the “You’ve Got a Friend” singer since age 6.
“He was an artist my parents listened to a lot, but then I also gravitated to listen to a lot,” Artis told The Deseret News. “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.”
Featured image by Eric McCandless/Disney via Getty Images
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