It’s a long way from Lagrange, Georgia to Hollywood, almost 2,200 miles, but who’s counting? Philmon Lee nailed his audition in early February, earning the Golden Ticket to move on in the competition. Each week, he has brought the judges to their feet and grows more confident. Tonight, he competes in the Top 11.
“I feel good. This is a great experience, and I am thankful for the support in doing something I love,” explained Philmon.
His hometown, Lagrange, and most of Georgia, is “all in” for Philmon, but so are many other fans across the country. His social media followers respond with words of encouragement from North Carolina, Texas, Louisiana, Colorado, Minnesota, and beyond.
“I love looking at those responses from Facebook fans. They mean so much to me.”
Long day’s journey
Being on a TV competition like American Idol each week may seem glamorous, but the reality is, it’s hard work. For perspective, it took several days to schedule the interview with Philmon. His day starts early with rehearsals and ends late.
“We have had one and a half days off in the past three weeks.”
His faith, family, and fans have kept him going through an arduous schedule. Tonight’s competition will end with the Top 9 being announced.
His mom, Kristi, has supported him from the beginning and the contestants have become like family.
“We eat dinner together, hang out, and text each other. It’s a support system for all of us.”
Time to rock on
Tonight’s show features songs from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees. The Top 11 finalists will perform iconic rock songs, with mentors Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo. The show airs at 8:00 pm on ABC/WTVM.
Philmon promises to blow the roof off the house and teased his performance on his social media page with “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet”, a song from Bachman Turner Overdrive.
While he couldn’t reveal to Now Georgia which song he will perform tonight, one of his fan favorites is “Dream On” a hit by Aerosmith, who were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.
If you love Philmon Lee and want to see him fulfill his dreams, watch tonight and vote.
How to vote
Online/App: Visit http://abc.go.com/shows/american-idol/ or use the app to log in with an ABC account and select your favorite contestants.
Text the contestant’s number to 21523. (Philmon is 11)
Social Media: Visit official Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok accounts to vote on the pinned “Official Vote Post”.
Limitations: You can vote up to 10 times per contestant/platform (i.e., 10 on the site, 10 on text, 10 on Facebook, etc.).
Voting Window: Voting typically begins when the show premieres on Mondays and closes during the show.
For the third week in a row, Break & Run Cafe, located at 1107 Mooty Bridge Road in Lagrange is hosting a watch party for Philmon Lee’s performance on tonight’s American Idol. It starts at 7:30 pm, and the cafe has extra parking located in the grass behind the tax office.
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