Idol Chatter & Voice Views

His audition: Lucas West, 20, of Fairport, N.Y., performed “Bennie and the Jets” by Elton John. Sitting behind the keys, Lucas launched into an impressive cover of the Elton John classic, showing off his range, especially at the end of the performance. He showed off nice stage presence too. Adam Levine was the first coach to turn, followed by John Legend. Adam said he was “blown away by how different” and unique Lucas is. John called it a “beautiful performance.” Lucas joined Team Legend.

Here’s more about Lucas:

* He’s a Rochester, N.Y., based singer who also plays piano and trombone.

* And he’s twice accompanied himself on keys while singing the national anthem at home games for the Buffalo Bills.

* The first time it happened was a November 2023 game against the New York Jets. Lucas called it “a whirlwind experience. I fist bumped Stefon Diggs, met (tight end) Dawson Knox and sang for just over 70,000 Bills mafia.”

* He was asked to perform the anthem again prior to a home playoff game against the Baltimore Ravens in January 2025.

* In a March interview with The Leader newspaper, Lucas said he was proud of being invited back to perform the anthem a second time. especially prior to such an important game.

* “This experience gives me faith in myself,” he said. “It’s easy to get discouraged in this industry, but moments like this remind me that I’m doing something right.”

* Lucas, from Fairport, N.Y., is a senior at the SUNY (State University of New York) Fredonia School of Music, pursuing a bachelor of arts degree in music with a focus on jazz studies.

* According to the school’s website, he plays trombone in the Fredonia Jazz Orchestra, piano in the New Jazz Flextet, trombone in the Trombone Choir and sings in the Vocal Jazz Combo.

* He got his start in music early thanks largely to his mother, a music teacher. He started taking classical piano lessons at age 6.

* On his website, Lucas says he makes it his mission “to pull from a variety of genres including rock, pop, jazz, soul and R&B, and bring it back to the mainstream.”

* This won’t be Lucas’s first time auditioning for a singing show. In 2021, at age 17, when he was a senior in high school, he got to sing for the celebrity judges on American Idol.

Lucas on social media:
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