Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Deshawn Goncalves of American Idol Season 19

Here’s more about Deshawn.

* He’s a 20-year-old Columbus, Ohio, native and graduate of East High School who now lives in the Cleveland area.

* He’s also a student at Jackson State University, attending classes remotely because of the pandemic. When on campus, he plays tuba in the marching band.

* In his website bio, Deshawn says he got an early start with music, performing with his church choir when he was still just a toddler.

* He participated in band and choir in high school and also got involved in the Paragon Project at the Fort Hayes Metropolitan Education Center in Columbus.

* It was through that program that he released a debut single, a feel-good song he wrote called “Time is a Teacher.” It appears on the album The Paragon Project Vol. 3: Note to Self, and you can check it out below.

* In a sneak peek Idol video, Deshawn shares that he struggled a bit growing up. His mother gave birth to him at age 15; his father fell into the street life and spent time in prison. “Music has always been my saving grace,” he says.

* Musically, he’s had his share of highlights already. He’s a two-time winner at the Apollo Theatre, according to his website, sang for Pattie Labelle and played piano for B.B King’s daughter.

* He’s also watched American Idol since he was a child and dreamed of being on the show, he told Cleveland.com, adding “so to be in the room with those people, the judges, and share my gift was kind of unreal.”

* As for his music — and he said he hopes to release more soon — “the goal is to be able to help people,” he told that site. “I think it’s just bigger than music for me. I want to sing to be able to help people, to get a message through — to be able to make life better for a lot of people.”

Deshawn on social media:
Website
Instagram
Twitter
Facebook
YouTube