What did American Idol judges say about Tyler’s Fritz Hager III in Episode 14?

On Sunday, ABC's American Idol saw the Top 14 contestants battle it out against each other to impress the judges and win America's votes to secure a safe spot in the Top 11.

One contestant who won everyone's hearts was Fritz Hager III. The singer has shown consistent growth from the early audition round to the recent live performances and has also emerged as Katty Perry's favorite contestant, leading to him securing a spot in the Top 11. All the contestants were mentored by country music singer and platinum-certified American Idol alum Gabby Barrett.

Emotions ran high on last week's episodes as the contestants fought their nerves to deliver memorable performances and secure a place in the Top 20. This was followed by them competing for a spot in America's Top 14 on Monday, April 18, 2022. The contestants who were eliminated include Cameron Whitcomb, Cadence Baker, Elli Rowe, Jacob Moran, Katyrah Love, and Sage.

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American Idol contestant Fritz Hager impressed the Idol judges with his performance

Prior to his performance, Fritz Hager went to Gabby Barrett to seek advice regarding his songs. The duo discussed him getting to see American Idol Season 11 winner Phillip Phillips, who the participant considers his inspiration.

Fritz wanted to perform Let It Go by James Bay. When asked why he chose the song, he said:

"Just like I'm not the same person that I was, and it's sort of like a goodbye to that version of myself."

The mentor advised him to make the song his own, and that's exactly what he did. After his performance, the judges, the contestants, and the live audience gave him a standing ovation. Luke Bryan began by saying:

"Fritz, buddy. You're an artist, buddy. You're an artist. I mean... The way you sold that on guitar and held the room... I mean, any time I feel like I'm actually not at American Idol... when I'm watching a contestant, I'm at that person's show. That whole performance felt like I was at your show."

Lionel Richie complimented the contestant and said:

"That is the absolute way to make us listen. The quieter you get, the quieter we listen, the quieter we understand. You pulled us in. I admit, you gave us a little grease... I like that, a little Fritz grease. Because that's the part that makes it... the glue come together. But it was wonderful."

Katy Perry quickly established him as her favorite as she and Fritz tried to hold back tears. She said:

"I can't play favorites, but I'm so proud of you. The most important thing for America to do is vote right now because your faves are not safe, and it's only like a small window. Please, we cannot protect him. Protect him."

Here's what fans of the show had to say about Fritz Hager:

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Who is American Idol contestant Fritz Hager?

Fritz Hager grew up in Texas and has sung at Tyler’s local Civic Theatre Center for performances of West Side Story and Newsies. The American Idol contestant is a huge fan of Season 11 winner Phillip Phillips. Speaking about his inspiration, the participant said:

“As a kid, I was really inspired by Phillip Phillips, who was on the show 10 years ago actually. I love his sound, the way he played guitar. He inspired me to play guitar, and I always wanted to sort of be where he was.”

Ahead of Fritz's audition, he received a video message from Phillips himself, where the latter said:

“Do what you do. Have fun. Let’s rock it."

In his introductory video, Fritz revealed that he worked as a security officer prior to auditioning on American Idol. He stated that he was ready for the next chapter of his life as a performer. The contestant also confessed that he didn't want to be stuck at a desk forever. He said:

“I monitor cameras. I’m not really out there chasing down criminals or anything. Not very glamorous. I really just sit in a dark room for 12 hours a day.”

Fritz has also dropped singles ahead of his American Idol debut. These include All My Friends, Maybe I Think I Love You, Inconsequential Love, Second-hand Friend, and The Ocean.

He enjoys a massive fan following of over 30K, attracting fans from all over the world after his debut in the reality singing competition. He consistently uploads videos along with other American Idol contestants and also goes live to interact with his fans.

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America recently selected the Top 11 contestants. The list includes Leah Marlene, HunterGirl, Jay, Fritz Hager, Nicolina, Noah Thompson, Christian Guardino, Lady K, Emyrson Flora, Mike Parker, and Tristen Gressett. The contestants who were eliminated were Allegra Miles, Ava Maybee, and Dan Marshall.

Readers can tune in on Monday night and watch the contestants try to secure a spot in the Top 10. The next episode of American Idol will air on April 25, 2022, at 8.00 pm ET on ABC.