Deandre Brackensick was just 16 last year when he made it all the way to the Vegas round on American Idol.
Now he’s back, having received a golden ticket during the Aspen audition, though we got just a glimpse of him celebrating and didn’t get to hear him sing.
He said he auditioned again to prove to himself that he can do better.
“Last year just wasn’t what I wanted,” he says in his golden ticket interview. “I wasn’t ready. This year, I’m ready.”
Deandre is from San Jose, Calif., but has a Hawaiian background and plays lots of traditional Hawaiian music, not to mention a mean ukulele.
In last year’s Hollywood video, he listed Al Green and Smoky Robinson as his major influences. And he says he has a higher range than most male singers.
He recalls performing his first solo at age 3 in church.
“Nervous as heck,” he recalls, “but i loved it. I always love singing.”
Deandre didn’t get a ton of screen time last year on Idol, but was among the featured young contestants who were part of The Minors on group night.
The group was portrayed as getting too much input from their mothers, but Deandre survived and now calls it his most memorable Idol moment.
Here are some of Deandre’s non-Idol performances.
“Turn Your Lights Down Low”
Top 8 — I Like It
No longer available
Top 8 — I’m So Excited (with Hollie Cavanagh)
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Top 9 — Sometimes I Cry
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Top 10 — Only the Good Die Young
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Top 11/12 — Endless Love
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Top 13 — Master Blaster
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Wild Card — Georgia on My Mind
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Semifinals — Reason
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Go Dre!!
i think i love this kid….
We are very proud of you and will be cheering you on once again.
[...] Deandre Brackensick: This guy is in the top 40 for the second straight year. And in the last 2 minutes, we heard him sing more than we have through the entire season to date. I really suspected that meant he wouldn’t advance. But he certainly showed the voice to stay with that Vegas performance. And he’s in. Another spot for the guys nabbed. Judges’ rating: Fine. [...]
[...] DeAndre Brackensick: “What you can expect on the show is basically me. I’m going to give everything I can and stay true to my style, stay true to DeAndre this time instead of trying to please everybody. I’m going to do what I do. I’m not just a falsetto singer, not just a Hawaian singer. That I have a different style and a different talent.” [...]
[...] Deandre Brackensick: [...]
[...] so glad he was rescued: I’m not convinced either of Deandre Brackensick’s vocals was finals worthy. And, great, now we’ve got another guy for girls to scream over [...]
I am SOOOOOOOOOO Happy that they put Deandre on the show. This guys vocals are the best I’ve heard. I’ll do my part to see him through to the end…
Pick the right songs Deandre…
[...] Deandre Brackensick: His falsetto probably gave Jennifer the “goosies.” Last week, his vocals made [...]
[...] Deandre Brackensick: [...]
[...] Idol’s only an hour tonight, but that doesn’t mean we won’t have to endure a cheesy group number. Still don’t know what Idol sees in Deandre Brackensick. [...]
[...] Deandra Brackensick: Fantasia. “Every time I hear here sing, I just want to throw my shoe at her. She’s so good.” [...]
[...] Deandra Brackensick: “Memoirs of a nappy-headed boy.” [...]
[...] Deandre Brackensick (8): Stevie Wonder was a better fit for Deandre than it was for some of the guys, and he delivered [...]
[...] Deandra Brackensick: “In the shower. I love it. The acoustics are amazing and I feel so free.” [...]
[...] Deandre Brackensick: [...]
[...] Deandre Brackensick 1. To fly 2. To support my family 3. World peace [...]
[...] Deandre Brackensick: The guy with the curls is going to sing “Only the Good Die Young,” a young song for a young contestant. And he’ll be letting his hair down because Tommy Hilfiger (or whoever, told him to). And he’s advised to have fun with the song. Deandree seemed ot take that advice to heart. Problem is, this isn’t a very good vocal. It’s coming off as a bad karaoke version of the song. Not a great way to star the night, Deandre. Besides the hair, there wasn’t anything special about that performance. Grade: C- [...]
[...] performance of the night: I gave the lowest grade to Deandre Brackensick. Sorry, fans of the hair. On a night filled with solid performances, his wasn’t. [...]
[...] Deandre Brackensick (7): Last week’s rendition of “Endless Love” was Deandre’s best vocal yet. [...]
[...] Deandre Brackensick [...]
[...] 8. Deandre Brackensick (7): What? The guy with the hair landed in the bottom three? It’s probably a case of the cute-guy vote being split multiple ways. And performing first probably didn’t help either. But five performances into the voting rounds, I’ve yet to give him better than a “C.” He doesn’t just need a moment, he needs anything verging on a moment. [...]
[...] Deandre Brackensick: Jimmy says he isn’t going crazy over Deandre, but he doesn’t dislike him either. He thinks he needs more experience. And his vocal performances are polarizing. He’s safe, unbelievably. [...]
[...] Deandre Brackensick: [...]