American Idol: Trey Louis Chases Positivity With His Music And Sings Stone by Whiskey Myers

On the second night of auditions on American Idol, Trey Louis, 21, brought judges to tears with his powerful voice and touching story. As he sang "Stone" by Whiskey Myers with all his heart, Louis' performance left judges speechless.

After singing the song, he revealed that he was a survivor of a school shooting in his hometown. Katy Perry and Lionel Richie were moved by his story, leading all three judges to tears as they held back tears during his performance.

He’s a Survivor of a School Shooting

Trey Louis, a 21-year-old mattress salesman from Santa Fe, Texas, wanted to use his singing talent for good in his hometown. On Sunday afternoon during an audition for "American Idol," his powerful country voice and touching story moved judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan to tears.

At his audition, Louis performed an acoustic version of Whiskey Myers' "Stone," to a standing ovation from the judges. However, it was his candid remarks about his backstory that really captured their attention.

After his performance, Louis related that he was a student at Santa Fe High School when an gunman shot and killed 8 students and 2 teachers in May 2018. He said he was in an art classroom when the shooter made his way into the school.

He had lost many friends to the shooting, which has become an ongoing issue in Santa Fe. When asked for his opinion by the judges, he expressed that he wanted to make a positive contribution to his community by using music as a means of helping repair its reputation.

The judges praised his music, noting his unique voice and deep comprehension of the song. They also appreciated his candor about his personal story and encouraged him to continue performing for his school.

Louis dedicated his performance to Chris Stone, a friend who tragically passed away during the shooting. Through it, Louis hopes to motivate people to become more involved in combatting gun violence.

He desires to reflect his city in a positive light, emphasizing the acceptance of differences and having an immense sense of pride. Additionally, he is in a relationship with Grace Sheppard.

When asked why he traveled to Los Angeles for an audition, Louis explained that as a survivor of Santa Fe High School shooting he wanted to represent his town in a positive light. He had heard about "American Idol" and thought it would be an ideal platform to showcase his talent before cameras.

He’s Trying to Make Change

On Sunday night's American Idol, Trey Louis, 21, stunned the judges with his powerful country voice and poignant story. His rendition of Whiskey Myers' "Stone" featured his signature smokey tone, along with an unabashed desire to make a difference in Santa Fe, Texas - leaving viewers in tears.

He went on to explain that he is the survivor of a brutal school shooter who murdered 8 students and 2 teachers at Santa Fe High School in 2018. For 21-year-old, this has been an enormous accomplishment as he had just auditioned for a reality singing competition which has significantly shaped his career path.

He was the star of the show, receiving a standing ovation from Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan. You can watch his performance in the video below. His most exciting moment on American Idol came when he discovered that he was actually among the top 10 contestants - an humbling experience which spurred an insightful conversation about gun violence in America.

He’s Trying to Make Friends

After 21-year-old Texas singer Trey Louis auditioned for American Idol, his story moved judges to tears. A survivor of the Santa Fe High School shooting in May 2018, Louis shared that he wanted to make his hometown better and dedicated his song "Stone" from Whiskey Myers to friend Chris Stone who perished during the incident.

The 21-year-old's vocal talents wowed all three judges, but it was his inspiring backstory which had them in tears. Louis shared how he lost eight friends and two teachers during the school shooting, and hopes to use his singing voice to change people's perception of his city.

On "American Idol," auditions can get emotional. But the judges were taken aback when they heard Louis' backstory and why he was auditioning. After singing a song for one of his best friends, Luke Bryan asked why Louis was auditioning and Louis revealed that he had been victim to a school shooting in 2018.

As soon as the judges heard about his story, Katy Perry broke down in tears. She buried her head in her hands and sobbed, lamenting America's response to gun violence.

Later, she encouraged Trey to sing for his love of music, not because of the school shooting that claimed his life. Additionally, she encouraged him to use his talent for speaking out against gun violence and rallying people to support gun control measures.

After his compelling audition, the judges unanimously decided to send him to Hollywood. They even showed him holding his golden ticket, which will allow him to compete in the next round of auditions.

Louis is not the first Texas singer to win an audition on the reality show, but his voice and story will be remembered as one of this season's most moving moments. Producers captured Louis' story on Sunday afternoon, bringing Katy Perry and Lionel Richie to tears and starting a conversation about how we should respond to school shootings in America.

He’s Trying to Make a Difference

Trey Louis not only has an incredible voice, but he also wishes to add a unique perspective to Santa Fe, New Mexico.

On Sunday, the Texas native auditioned for American Idol and won over judges with his powerful vocals and touching story about a school shooting that forever changed him. After performing a powerful rendition of "Stone" by Whiskey Myers, all three judges sent him to Hollywood for the next round.

Katy Perry and Lionel Richie both praised his performance, but it was his backstory that brought them to tears. At 21 years old, the 21-year-old revealed that he was a survivor of the May 2018 shooting at Santa Fe High School which claimed eight students and two teachers' lives.

He recounted how he managed to escape by hiding in a closet during the attack. He gave credit to student Christian Riley Garcia for blocking the door, which allowed him to escape safely. Unfortunately, Chris Stone, his friend who died during this ordeal, also managed to make it out unscathed.

As a result, Trey has started an organization to assist those in need. It is called "Sandy Hook Promise" and its mission is to prevent gun violence in schools.

In his interview with ABC13, Trey revealed that he's an incredible individual who enjoys helping others and wants to make a difference. He expressed his desire to show people there are better ways to live.

At Trey's song about'moment of magic,' all three judges were moved to tears. It had been their first exposure to his story but it sparked an important conversation on making our country safer; and after it aired, all three praised Trey for making such a difference.