Idol Chatter & Voice Views

American Idol identified Lebryant Crew as a real estate appraiser.

But from his audition, it’s pretty clear he’s used to entertaining as well.

Lebryant Crew earned a ticket to Hollywood at the American Idol auditions in Salt Lake City. (FOX Photo)

The 24-year-old from El Dorado, Ark., auditioned with Little Walter’s “My Babe,” and the way he moved while singing immediately got the approval of Harry Connick Jr.

Of course, Lebryant isn’t only a real estate appraiser.

He’s also a minister and a choir director.

“Being the first preacher to win American Idol, that would be good stuff,” Lebryant told Idol, smiling. “That would give hope to all the preachers everywhere else.”

Though he certainly didn’t show it, the personable young man admits in his Road to Hollywood video that he was a little nervous for his Idol audition and found performing in front of the judges “a little overwhelming.”

As for getting the golden ticket to Hollywood?

“It felt like all these years of trying to do music on my own and singing in church and trying to make it some way in the music industry … I just felt like it was a step closer,” Lebryant says.

He adds that he draws musical inspiration from lots of sources, including Ray Charles and “a lot of older music from church” and more current R&B music.

As a musican, “I can’t get put in a box,” Lebryant says. “I have a friend that calls me a chameleon. I didn’t show the judges the chameleon side of me, but I’m good at imitating voices. I have a good ear, so I can train myself to sound a certain way or like a certain person, but in that keeping my genuine self.”

If you’d like to follow Lebryant, here are links to his Facebook page and Twitter account (@LeBryantCrew).

He doesn’t seem to have a YouTube channel, but I’ve embedded a couple of pre-Idol performances below.

For profiles of more than 90 other Season 13 contestants, head here.

“Shawty Chrushin”

“Holy Spirit Rain”