* In a recent podcast, Xavier says his parents weren’t musicians, but he grew up in a musical family nonetheless with a grandmother and several cousins who sang. He was raised on gospel music and performed in church settings regularly growing up.
* He played various instruments in his high school band and even served as drum major for a year, according to an artist profile in the Yale Daily News.
* Once at Yale, he joined that a cappella group Shades of Yale, an ensemble described as dedicated to celebrating music of the African Diaspora.
* He also performed with the Yale Glee Club and took classical vocal lessons for the first time at the university.
* The artist profile was printed in January, after Xavier performed a fall-semester-closing concert in one of the university’s common rooms. He closed it with a cover of Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On.”
* Xavier told the Daily News that the feedback from the crowd, and the way they joined him on the performance of that song was a key moment for him as an artist. “That was really the first moment when I thought: ‘Okay, I have to do this.’”
* In January 2020, he appeared on The Terrell Show after being named runner-up of the Race to the Blue singing competition. He performs a number of covers on an episode of the show that’s been watched nearly 500,000 times on YouTube.
* One of the songs he sang on the show was “Yesterday” by Mary Mary. That’s also one of the first songs he performed when singing in church. In fact, Xavier posted a recording of that performance to Instagram to “point out how it all comes full circle.”
* He’s released one single, “Never Again” in 2019 after a producer approached him with the song’s concept.
* He says he’s working toward releasing more original music, but adds that “I’m just now realizing how hard it is to put something new into the atmosphere. And I’m 23. I’m still trying to find out who I am as an artist.”
* Xavier says he probably wouldn’t have auditioned for American Idol if the pandemic hadn’t short-circuited other musical ventures, but calls auditioning for the show a wonderful experience.
Related Posts
-
March 29, 2025 -
-
March 29, 2025 Meet Sarah Day of American Idol Season 23
Featured Music
Daddy's Mugshot
Laci Kaye Booth, Top 5 on American Idol Season 17, dropped a new single Friday. And if you somehow missed her 2024 album, "Loneliest Girl in the World," do yourself a favor and check it out!
Aaron Rizzo Adam David Alanna Lynise Angie Rey Ari Camille BDII (Brian Darden) Braxton Garza Britton Moore Carlos Santiago Conor JamesMORE BELOW
The Voice Season 27 Profiles
The Voice Season 27 Profiles
Darius J.
Dennis Lorenzo
Dimitrius Graham
Ethan Eckenroad
Fran
Hailey Wright
Iris Herrera
Jacquelyn George
Jaelen Johnston
Jay Ammo
Jayden Cree (Olesen)
Jessica Manalo
Lucia Flores-Wiseman
Naomi Soleil
Nell Simmons
Olivia Kuper Harris
Page Mackenzie
Ricardo Moreno
Robert Hunter
Simone Marijic
Tatum Scott
Tori Templet
Trevon Dawson
American Idol Season 19 Profiles
Featured Music
'Treasure' indeed
Laci Kaye Booth, Top 5 on American Idol Season 17, dropped her debut album Aug. 6. Her debut single, the ridiculously addictive "Treasure," heads to country radio in mid-September.
Archives
-
The knockout matches set for Monday night on The Voice
March 30, 2025 By Mark Franklin -
-
Jordan Allen, Robert Hunter, Dimitrius Graham drop new music
March 30, 2025 By Mark Franklin -
Lola Bonfiglio scores most popular audition on American Idol
March 29, 2025 By Mark Franklin -
Meet Samantha Ray and more singers from Sunday’s American Idol
March 29, 2025 By Mark Franklin
-
Song by song grades for the Top 8 on American Idol
April 29, 2024 By Mark Franklin -
Iam Tongi scores an Apple Music hit for American Idol
May 19, 2023 By Mark Franklin -
Song by song grades for the Top 12 on The Voice
December 4, 2023 By Mark Franklin -
Song by song grades for the Top 14 on American Idol
April 21, 2024 By Mark Franklin -
Song by song grades for American Idol’s Top 24, Group 2
April 8, 2024 By Mark Franklin
-
-
We haven’t heard the last from David Archuleta
February 21, 2011 By Mark Franklin -
Meet American Idol contestant Hollie Cavanagh
January 30, 2012 By Mark Franklin -
Meet American Idol contestant Jessica Sanchez
February 5, 2012 By Mark Franklin -
Meet American Idol contestant Phillip Phillips
January 19, 2012 By Mark Franklin
Post-Voice Music
Recent Voice Views Interviews
-
The knockout matches set for Monday night on The Voice
March 30, 2025 By Mark Franklin -
-
Jordan Allen, Robert Hunter, Dimitrius Graham drop new music
March 30, 2025 By Mark Franklin
-
Song by song grades for the Top 8 on American Idol
April 29, 2024 By Mark Franklin -
Iam Tongi scores an Apple Music hit for American Idol
May 19, 2023 By Mark Franklin -
Song by song grades for the Top 12 on The Voice
December 4, 2023 By Mark Franklin
-
-
We haven’t heard the last from David Archuleta
February 21, 2011 By Mark Franklin -
Meet American Idol contestant Hollie Cavanagh
January 30, 2012 By Mark Franklin
Leave a reply