Matt Wilson took a sentimental approach on American Idol with his performance of Dan + Shay’s “Speechless.”
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Idol took to Hawaii for the first week of the top 26 where Wilson used his performance to honor his wife, Melisa, sharing that the song reminds him of their wedding day. “I just envision my wife walking down the aisle every single time I’m singing the lyrics,” he describes. “It was an obvious choice for me.”
When Wilson took the stage, Melisa could be seen swaying and smiling in the audience as her husband serenaded her on the stage overlooking the ocean. The song shows off his smooth voice that can carry a soulful tune as he croons, You already know that you’re my weakness / After all this time I’m just as nervous / Every time you walk into the room / I’m speechless. At one point, Wilson spots his wife in the crowd and sings to her directly, judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan smiling down from their seats. Richie was particularly impressed by the high note Wilson hits at the end as he holds his wife’s hand, all three judges applauding him with a standing ovation.
“You can’t go wrong singing to your love,” Bryan said, telling Wilson that he is one of his favorite singers in the competition. “We know your wife Melisa is a big reason why you are even in front of us. So Melisa, thank you for supporting him so much. He’s a true talent.”
“I keep forgetting just how silky that voice can be,” praised Richie, telling Wilson he believes he has the ability to hold a crowd’s attention for the rest of his career.
“That was so gorgeous,” Perry raved, calling back to Wilson’s audition that she admitted felt like he had “little to no confidence. “You are just working the stage, you are singing with no effort and it is making the whole room line up. It is so beautiful to see.”
The second part of the top 26 performances airs Monday (April 17) at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
Photo Credit: ABC/Eric McCandless
