By Emily Williams
From Birmingham to Belmont to the bright lights of Hollywood, Walker Burroughs of Vestavia Hills made a name for himself on Season 17 of ABC’s American Idol.
He ended his run on the show Sunday in a two-hour episode featuring the season’s top eight contestants singing the music of Queen.
With help from the episode’s mentor, Adam Lambert, runner-up from Idol’s eighth season, Burroughs covered “Crazy Little Thing Called Love.”
During rehearsals with Lambert, Burroughs worked on becoming more comfortable with moving around the stage.
Though the rehearsal felt awkward for Burroughs, his judged performance provided a turn-around.
He received kudos from each of the three judges: pop sensation Katy Perry, country star Luke Bryan and Grammy-winner Lionel Richie.
“Just naturally go out and be present on stage. You did that tonight,” said Richie.
Additionally, contestants were paired up to cover songs that have been used as movie themes.
Burroughs and fellow contestant Alejandro Aranda sang “Mrs. Robinson” by Simon & Garfunkel, from the soundtrack for “The Graduate.” Both played acoustic guitar and were praised by the judges for their cohesiveness and creativity on the stage.
Burroughs was voted off the show along with Alyssa Raghu.
Bryan tweeted about both contestants, stating, “We are so proud of how far you’ve come. This is not the end for either of you.”
On April 21, Burroughs received rave reviews from the judges after performing the ballad “When She Loved Me.”
He performed the “Toy Story 2” song in a Disney-themed episode of the show.
Perry commented that she was transported to a different time and place by his performance.
“I hope America understands how difficult it is to do what you just did. You’re 20 years old and it’s like something a seasoned veteran does,” said Bryan.
Also an Alabama native from Tuskegee, Richie, commented on the caliber of professionalism that Burroughs displayed.
He said Burroughs is a pro in the music business, stating, “That is about as close to a perfect performance as I could ever think of.”
Burroughs Has a Past …
Burroughs, the son of David and Colleen Burroughs, is not new to the spotlight.
The 2017 Vestavia Hills High School graduate became internet famous and was featured on ABC World News in 2017 for a “promposal” video.
He returned to his alma mater March 9 to perform in the Rise club’s Concert for a Cure, benefitting the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at UAB.
One of the songs he performed was his debut single “The Moon Song,” released in 2018.
Rise unities the student body, teaching service, leadership and the importance of community involvement while raising money to benefit the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center. Rise is an acronym for Rebels Impact through Service and Engagement.
Burroughs is a sophomore at Belmont University in Nashville, where he is a music education major and member of the a cappella group, the Beltones.
In a “Meet the Finalists” episode that aired April 22, Burroughs took camera crews on a tour of Belmont. His segment showcased his a cappella group and his friends, including American Idol-alum Emma Kleinberg.
At home, Burroughs family and friends have been hosting viewing parties at Blackwell’s Grill in Cahaba Heights to cheer him on and drum up local support for the fan voting portion of the competition.
According to ABC 33/40, Blackwell’s donated 50% of its profits from the April 21 viewing party to Burrough’s family to make sure they could be in Los Angeles to cheer him on.
