Canaan James Hill, a 17-year-old aspiring preacher from Dallas, Texas, recently blew “American Idol” judges away with his soulful rendition of Earnest Pugh’s gospel song “I Need Your Glory.”
Hill is a content creator who is “getting into preaching.” He told the judges he graduated high school early to “go forward with my gift and do what God has called and chosen me to do.”
The young singer told Ryan Seacrest before his performance that he comes from a “gospel family,” and fell in love with singing after hearing his grandfather sing songs glorifying Jesus.
“I was like, ‘Wow, I want to do that,'” he said.
And after hitting the first note in Pugh’s song, it was evident that Hill has an incredible gift.
Judges Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood, and Luke Bryan, were amazed as he continued to sing the gospel song. As Hill’s performance progressed, Richie stood to his feet and began to jump around in excitement.
He then raised his hands as Hill sang the verse, “Anybody in here need His glory? I need Your power. Less of me and more of You. The Lord is what I need.”
As soon as Hill finished the song, Richie approached him and asked, “Would you do that again?”
The singer-songwriter and record producer turned to Underwood and Bryan and said, “That was powerful. You have been so blessed.”
Hill reacted to the comment stating, “To God be the glory.”
“That was something so spectacular, I just can’t even describe what I heard,” Richie added.
He then excitedly paced back and forth as Underwood chimed in on Hill’s audition.
“It was smooth but powerful,” she described. “I’m like where have you been the last 17 years? You have a gift.”
“I’m kind of speechless,” she added.
Richie quickly responded to her comment saying, “Hallelujah!”
“When you sing in church, what do people do? Do they just run to the baptism pit and jump in it and get saved immediately?” Bryan quipped.
Hill received an enthusiastic “yes” vote from all three judges.
“We are going to open our church tomorrow,” Richie joked before handing Hill one of three platinum tickets, which allowed him to bypass the first round in Hollywood.
“You get to sit back [in the first round]and watch all the people you’re gonna slay” in the competition, Richie explained.
After he left the audition, Hill told “American Idol” viewers that he was “so ready to spread the gospel and that I am going to do.”
Meanwhile, the cameras panned to the judges who were still talking about Hill and his performance.
“That boy right there was possessed,” Richie said to which Underwood responded saying, “By the Holy Spirit.”
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