American Idol Judge Katy Perry Breaks Down After School Shooting Audition

On Sunday night, the judges on 'American Idol' got emotional when a contestant shared her story of surviving a school shooting. When 21-year-old Trey Louis auditioned for the show, his story captured their hearts.

On 'American Idol,' the aspiring singer shared his harrowing experience of narrowly escaping a 2018 shooting at Santa Fe High School in Texas with the judges. He lamented how he had "lost a lot of friends."

Katy Perry Breaks Down After School Shooting Survivor Trey Louis Audition on 'American Idol'

On 'American Idol,' judges often gravitate to candidates with unique talents or personal stories that they want to learn more about. That was certainly the case Sunday night when 21-year-old Trey Louis from Texas dazzled the judges with his country music cover of "Stone" by Whiskey Myers and then shared his heartbreaking tale.

Katy Perry was applauded and clapped as she revealed that he was a survivor of the Santa Fe High School shooting, but it wasn't until that revelation that Katy Perry broke down in tears. She threw her face into her hands as she sobbed, followed by an emotional plea to address gun violence in America.

While Louis sang, he shared with the audience that he was in an art classroom when a gunman opened fire next door. He recounted to judges how many friends he lost in that attack. Dimitrios Pagourtzis, the shooter, was initially charged with capital murder but ultimately found incompetent to stand trial.

Once Louis had finished singing, Louis expressed to the judges his affection and love for Santa Fe through his music. Additionally, he wanted to cast a positive light on both his school and community.

At the end, all three judges gathered around Louis and gave him their approval to move on to the next round. For Louis, it was an emotional moment as he sought to bring some positivity back home and help the town heal after what he experienced.

After much emotion-filled discussion, Louis was met with a standing ovation and an invitation to the next round of auditions. He explained his nickname as "Trey from the Fe" because of his passion and dedication to music; however, it was his inspirational story of surviving a school shooting which really captured their attention.

Once Louis had finished sharing his story, the judges came together and voted for him to go to Hollywood. It was an emotional moment for Louis, and it's not surprising that so many Americans were moved by it as well - particularly Perry who has long supported gun control measures due to witnessing firsthand how devastatingly common mass shootings have become in our country. It is truly a moment that will stay with him forever.

Louis Shares His Story of Surviving the Santa Fe High School Shooting

On Sunday night, a survivor of the Santa Fe High School shooting moved the "American Idol" judges to tears during his audition. Katy Perry also offered an impassioned call for gun control in her passionate plea.

After captivating the judges with his southern rock twang in an audition for the show, Louis shared a touching story about his time at his high school. It transpires that while in art class one day, a shooter entered the next room and made their way towards Louis' room, killing eight students and two teachers.

He lamented the loss of "many friends." Additionally, he felt his city had received a bad reputation since the incident and wanted to bring some positive energy back into his hometown.

The judges were deeply moved by Louis' performance and asked why he wanted to compete on the show. He replied that he saw it as an opportunity for him to remember a "moment to cherish".

One of the things he most anticipates about American Idol is being able to showcase his talents for the world. He says he's already learned how powerful music can be and plans on using it for good in the future.

Trey Louis' story about surviving the most devastating tragedy of his life moved all the judges to tears, and he has a powerful message for the world. It's not just about winning Hollywood's top prize; he wants to help shift how people view gun violence in schools.

American Idol's award for most touching moment of the night goes to his tribute to Chris Stone and his story about Santa Fe High School shooting in 2018. Through this fame, he hopes to bring about some necessary change in how high schools are perceived around the world.

Louis Earns a Yes from the Judges

Katy Perry has long been a champion of gun control, and she understands the devastating effects gun violence can have on our society. That is why Katy Perry was so moved when Trey Louis stunned the judges with his stirring audition for "American Idol."

The 21-year-old singer began as a standard audition, performing Whiskey Myers' 2016 hit, "Stone." However, it wasn't until he revealed that he survived a school shooting which left eight students and two teachers dead that the judges broke down in tears.

After his audition, Louis told the judges he wanted to bring some positive energy back to Santa Fe, Texas. He lamented how much his hometown had suffered in May 2018 due to the shooting at Santa Fe High School but hoped his voice could make a difference by sparking some change.

Louis earned a unanimous yes vote from all three judges and advanced to the next round of competition. Perry, who lost her own daughter during the 1999 Virginia Tech shooting, gave him an emotional standing ovation and described Louis as an "inspiration."

But Louis' biggest shock came when he revealed that he'd been in an art room at the school on May 18th, 2018, when a gunman opened fire and killed eight students and two teachers. Despite his grief, Louis expressed hope that his "big heart" will bring some comfort to those affected by this tragic event.

He expressed that he's an enormous fan of music, with American Idol being "where some of my favorite artists have come from." As a survivor of the Santa Fe shooting, he wanted to use his influence for good by helping put an end to gun violence.

When asked why he'd auditioned, he responded that he wanted to bring some of the "positiveness" he experienced on the show back home to Santa Fe, Texas. Additionally, he hopes to become a leader in combatting gun violence, saying, "We need more people who can stand up for what they believe in and not give up."

After Louis' moving audition, all three judges gave him a "yes" and sent him on to the next round of the competition. At 21 years old, this talented singer will soon embark on his Hollywood journey in pursuit of his dreams.

Louis Says He Wants to "Bring Some Positivity" Back to His Hometown

On Sunday night, judge Katy Perry broke down in tears after watching a teenage school shooting survivor audition for "American Idol." As 21-year-old mattress salesman Trey Louis delivered an emotionally charged rendition of Country song "Stone" by Whiskey Myers, Perry and fellow judges Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan were so moved they couldn't help but cry.

When asked why he decided to join the show, Louis revealed that he was a victim of the Santa Fe High School shooting that occurred in May 2018. He lost many friends during the tragedy which left 10 people dead and two teachers injured. Louis was in the art room when he first heard gunshots fired, as well as being present when the gunman killed many of his classmates.

Instead of dwelling on the tragedy, Louis said he wanted to "bring some positivity" to his hometown of Santa Fe, Texas. He explained to the judges that he wanted to share his story of surviving with them and help make a difference in the world.

The 21-year-old stunned the judges with his sweet performance, but it was his heartfelt story of surviving the shooting that truly touched their hearts. They wept as Louis expressed his hope to become a leader in combatting gun violence across America.

According to the Gun Violence Archive, there have been more than 80 mass shootings in America this year alone. Perry expressed her hopes that Louis could serve as a model in this regard and hopes he becomes an actor with a positive influence on society.

In the end, she was delighted to give him her approval to proceed to the next round. After all, she told him, he has the talent and drive to make it big in Hollywood - she simply needed him to believe it!

Louis has enjoyed tremendous support from those in his hometown of Santa Fe throughout the competition. Recently, he launched a clothing line called "New Identity," and his family recently opened an arcade in Cleburne.

After Spending Spree, Utopia Refocuses on Fixing Music Royalties

After an aggressive expansion in late 2021 and early 2022, music fintech company Utopia Music is reportedly cutting its staff. Based in Zug, Switzerland, the firm claims to be creating a technology platform that brings "near real-time trust and transparency" to royalty tracking and distribution. They recently acquired Quincy Jones-backed Musimap; artist advance service Lyric Financial; industry directory ROSTR; as well as data analytics platform ForTunes.

Transparency

Sir Thomas More was the first person to use the term "utopia." In his famous book Utopia, he created an ideal world where everyone shared a culture and way of life. The word was coined from Greek ou-topos, meaning "nowhere." It's ironic that eu-topos is similar but also means "a good place."

More's book was inspired by a fictional community on an island which he believed he could create if given control over government and politics. It is an incisive work that poses the question of whether such a perfect world is possible and whether it will ever materialize.

It is an enthralling book, and the concept of creating an "utopia" holds great promise. Unfortunately, we don't currently live in such a utopia - it's high time this changed!

Music royalties are an important issue for artists and songwriters, who often struggle to understand how their songs generate money. For instance, when their music is streamed on Spotify or SoundCloud, they may not always be informed of how much revenue has been earned in a given month.

Artists suffer when there is an absence of transparency when it comes to their songs; they don't know how well they're performing or why, and have no insight on how to improve those numbers. It can be a frustrating situation for many artists.

The issue stems from a century-old system of licensing performance rights, managed by performance rights organizations (PROs) like ASCAP and BMI. PROs receive royalty fees from streaming services and distribute those payments to artists and songwriters; however, they lack access to all copyright ownership information needed to accurately track and pay out royalties.

Berklee College of Music's Rethink Music initiative commissioned this report to address this problem. The document calls for a series of actions to guarantee full transparency and accountability within the music industry, such as requiring PROs to publish their catalogs, enabling musicians to audit their own royalties, and creating an ombudsman to enforce minimum transparency standards.

Reliability

No one is ever fortunate enough to be discovered by an agent from one of the hundreds of record label companies. Unfortunately, many artists struggle with feeling left without control over their careers and future. Thankfully, some companies are taking proactive steps towards maintaining this important sector of music production and management - though these are by no means exclusive; rather they serve as beacons in an otherwise murky landscape. Although not the only ones doing so, these larger organizations tend to be more visible and well-known within the industry than smaller competitors that offer less competition and quicker responses elsewhere.

Flexibility

After Spending Spree

Switzerland-based tech company Utopia has acquired 15 companies over the past two years and recently announced plans to refocus on fixing music royalties. This focus on music royalties is particularly crucial, as streaming revenue is expected to become the fastest growing source of royalty payments going forward.

Fixing music royalties helps streamline the whole music industry's efficiency. For instance, it can streamline information management for artists and songwriters - which is especially crucial since these individuals frequently alter their addresses, bank accounts and contact details over time.

Delays in royalties distribution can cause major losses for music companies, so it's essential that your royalty distribution process remains as flexible as possible.

For instance, you may want to include a "key-man clause" in your contract with your label. This will give you the flexibility to leave if something goes awry and still receive royalties for all recordings made.

Another way to increase flexibility is through daily exercise, which helps build up muscle mass and enhance range of motion. It may also reduce joint and muscle sensitivity.

Stretching regularly is an invaluable asset to improve your flexibility - which is essential for any sport or activity. Stretching can benefit everyone, even those with limited range of motion or a history of injuries. It is an integral part of any fitness program and should be done regardless of ability level or situation.

Flexibility is often genetic, but it can also be enhanced through physical exercise and good posture. Flexibility also benefits from lifestyle habits like regular physical activity and healthy eating habits.

Music royalties are determined by a number of factors, including how many records you sell, where they're sold and who they go to. All these can influence how much money you make - which is why it's essential to consider all sales channels when formulating your royalty strategy.

Efficiency

In an ideal world, songwriters and performers would receive payment sooner. Unfortunately, the process is laborious and often involves manual tracking. However, automation and blockchain technology are making it possible to reduce paperwork. This has significant ramifications for creatives - particularly in music where efficiency can mean the difference between success and failure.

Recently, Utopia Music and Red Bee Media formed a partnership to integrate Red Bee's Connect service with Utopia Music's data platform which contains 213 billion historic music consumption data points from 194 countries. By joining forces, these technologies create an efficient way to track usage patterns and pay music creators more promptly.

Utopia, the world's largest database of music royalties, is uniquely equipped to help rights holders track and collect their dues more efficiently. This is made possible through Utopia's patented Smart Licensing system which utilizes AI technology to detect usage and ensure clients get paid promptly.

The company is also integrating machine learning into its data-driven solutions, to better match artists with their desired audiences. This technology could be the future of identifying music content and guaranteeing its fair distribution in real time.

Though it may sound cliche, a healthy music business can help mitigate some of the worst effects of economic cycles. Music publishing income historically has less correlation to overall economic movements than other assets, leading to greater confidence among investors - especially institutional ones. As evidence, Mills Music Trust (ticker: MMTRS) has a low beta, meaning its shares tend to be less volatile than most other equity securities.