Norristown, Pa. singer gets golden ticket on American Idol
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Three local contestants are headed to Hollywood Week this Sunday night on American Idol.
One of them is a Norristown, Montgomery County native, who got a "yes" from all three judges, and a golden ticket to Hollywood.
But 24-year-old Rashid Saint-Fleur says he almost didn't audition.
He admits that he's always been drawn to music, and he's been busy writing and creating his own.
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But when American Idol called, he says he wasn't sure he would go for it.
It was a pep talk from his dad that convinced him.
"He was like, 'Man, you have to take this opportunity. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that people who dream of never get to do,'" Saint-Fleur recalls.
When he walked out of that audition room holding his golden ticket, he was glad he took his father's advice.
"I am so glad that I ran with it, that I gave it my all," he says.
Saint-Fleur's love of music started with his passion for drumming.
SEE ALSO: Bucks County singer, songwriter gets golden ticket on American Idol
"I grew up playing drums, probably since I was like seven or eight," he says. "I started taking drum lessons out in Philly."
Singing is in his DNA.
"My mom was singing back in Haiti for the longest time and she was singing around the house," Saint-Fleur says. "Even to this day, she's always singing."
When it came time to sing for the judges in New Orleans, he says he got nervous.
"My voice was shaky," he says. "I was like, 'I'm going home.'"
The judges, he says, felt his vibe.
"My sound is very relaxed, chill, laid back," Saint-Fleur says. "They said my voice was unique and that it was a lot different from a lot of contestants. A lot softer. They even compared me to Seal, which is really, really dope."
Rashid is now on his way to becoming the next American Idol.
"Honestly, it's surreal."
Catch him during Hollywood Week on American Idol this Sunday at 8 p.m. right here on 6abc.
