American Idol returns with a new episode this week. A slew of new performers will take the stage in the hopes of winning the golden pass and progressing to the next round of the competition.
Jon Wayne Hatfield, who will be joined in the section by his grandfather, is one of the performers scheduled to appear in the upcoming show. Inform Me, Ray, a one-of-a-kind song he wrote for his grandfather, will be performed.
According to Jon, the music has helped Ray trust in himself and “eliminate lifetime fears” in the video caption on American Idol’s YouTube website. Ray expresses relief at being able to stand on stage and boldly declare that he is homosexual and that “there’s nothing wrong with it.” The new show will premiere on ABC on February 26, 2023, at 8 p.m. ET.
Jon Wayne Hatfield’s performance on American Idol Season 21 makes his grandfather cry
When Jon auditions for American Idol season 21, he tells the judges that he’s about to perform a one-of-a-kind song he wrote for his grandfather. In his introduction video, he stated that he grew up with his grandparents. He went on to say that life was wonderful and that he was grateful to them for taking him in and raising him. When Katy Perry asked about his upbringing, the American Idol contestant revealed that his grandparents had raised him since he was five years old while his mother battled an addiction.
In the video, Jon stated:
“My grandmother was my mother. My grandfather was always my best friend.”
When the performer informed the judges that he was performing a song he wrote for his grandfather, they encouraged him to enter. Katy Perry informed Ray when he entered the room that Jon was about to perform a song about him. Jon’s grandfather began to cry before the American Idol contestant began singing, saying, “It’s a difficult one.”
Jon stated that his grandmother died three years ago and that the most difficult thing for him was witnessing his grandfather alone. He stated that his grandfather had lost his best friend and that he wouldn’t speak to anyone, including him, for almost a year and a half, which enraged the performer because he refused to help him.
In the film, Ray stated that he met his wife when he was 15 years old and told her about himself, and she still adored him. His grandfather went on to say that Jon was the last person he told about his s*xuality because he was afraid his grandson would no longer adore him.
The future American Idol season 21 contestant revealed in the video that Ray told him he was gay a year and a half ago. The candidate told his grandfather that the news would not “change anything d*mn thing” between them. Ray encouraged Jon to write Inform Me, Ray after his grandfather came out to him. Ray was encouraged by the music to have more faith in himself and to be more open to others. During the singer’s American Idol audition, his grandfather sobbed. When Jon finished, the judges applauded, and Lionel Richie approached Ray to hand him his handkerchief.
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