MATTHEWS, N.C. — It’s the end of the road to Hollywood for the Charlotte area’s own American Idol hopeful, but Josh King is back home and in front of a piano he knows well at Atrium Health Mercy.
Channel 9’s Elsa Gillis met up with King and his mom, Joy, less than 24 hours after they flew home from Los Angeles, ending a whirlwind experience on Idol.
The Matthews native made it to the top eight.
“I would have liked to win, but you know, it wasn’t as important to me as just gaining the experience and having just the chance to meet everybody and get to learn everything I did,” King told Gillis.
“For him to keep going, watching him grow with each and every step ... I’m just proud of him, I’m really proud of him,” Joy said.
Joy was in the audience for Josh’s performances and behind the scenes supporting her son.
“I knew he was gifted, I knew he was like a child prodigy with the music,” Joy said.
Josh doesn’t quite see himself as a prodigy, but music is something he loves.
“I want to start writing more, I want to start working with other people more, I want to record, I want to be in the industry,” King said.
Now he has fans all over the country, especially here at home, cheering him on.
“You know, having her there to support me, even if nobody else could be there ... because just having one person to support you is everything,” King said.
King is going to return to the American Idol stage for the season finale, but you can hear him in the halls at Atrium, where he’s volunteered since 2018.
(VIDEO: Matthews local discusses becoming American Idol finalist)
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