Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Dillon James, Top 5 on American Idol Season 18, has a record deal.

Dillon signed with UMG Nashville and 19 Recordings and took to social media to announce the news.

“I’ve been playing music my whole life; it’s been a tough road, let me tell you,” he writes.

“But Because of @americanidol and all of your guys’ love and support for my craft, I was able to make it far enough on @americanidol to get recognized.

“Without your help and love I don’t know where I would be today. Probably still recording songs in my room. Singing to my laptop.

“To get a record deal has always been a dream of mine and it would never have happened without my squad.”

Dillon was one of the Top 5 to make it to the finals of a Season 18 where the voting round was shortened to just five weeks because of the pandemic.

Pre-Idol, he released an EP called “Good Ole Boy” in 2019. And a baker’s dozen of Dillon’s tunes dropped on an album called “Unstable Pride” in April, while the Idol season was still in progress.

On Idol, Dillon’s backstory was one of redemption. He admitted getting caught up in the Hollywood lifestyle, struggling with addiction and becoming estranged from his family.

But he proclaimed himself two years sober when his Idol audition was filmed. He was 26 at the time.

Idol winner Just Sam has also signed a record deal since Season 18 ended in late May.