Jake Thistle on the Feb. 23 “American Idol” broadcast.
Jake Thistle impressed the judges again on “American Idol,” Feb. 23, performing an emotionally resonant version of Sam Fender’s “Seventeen Going Under.” You can watch the performance, below.
One judge, Lionel Richie, pumped his fist and said “I like him,” during the performance. He and fellow judges Luke Bryan and Carrie Underwood also gave Thistle a standing ovation, after it was over.
Bryan then said: “You’re so ready for this. Even the sound that you chose on that guitar was a really, really cool sound. The way you started in, the band … I mean, you’re just ready to do this. ‘Let me go win this thing, make an album, hit the road, get a band.’ ”
A short montage of video clips and photos of Thistle was shown, including a photo of him onstage at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park.
The 21-year-old Thistle — a Paramus native who recently graduated from Rutgers University — previously impressed the judges on the Feb. 16 show, performing Blind Faith’s “Can’t Find My Way Home.”
This is the 24th season of the ABC series.
Here is the clip of Thistle performing “Seventeen Going Under”:
Previous NJArts.net interviews:
Jake Thistle, 16, makes surprisingly mature music in the spirit of Petty, Springsteen and Browne (1/22/21)
Jake Thistle, recording artist and Rutgers freshman, juggles studying with gigging (12/7/22)
Jake Thistle, a veteran rock artist at 21, will celebrate milestone birthday with Wonder Bar concert (4/10/25)
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