Who is Fritz Hager? Meet the ‘American Idol’ semifinalist from Texas
After being inspired to audition for ‘American Idol’ by past winner Phillip Phillips, Fritz Hager has made it to the semifinals. The 22-year-old Texan has had an eventful journey from being a “self-doubting security guard” to having his self-titled EP hit the top of the pop charts.
“You have all the tools, you’ve got the creativeness to go a long way,” judge Luke Bryan told the 22-year-old singer-songwriter during the May 8 episode.
Hager will compete against Nicolina Bozzo, HunterGirl, Leah Marlene and Noah Thompson during the semifinals on May 15.
Here’s all you need to know about the sweetheart Texan who has made it into the top 5 of “Idol.”
He’s from Tyler, Texas and loves his grandma
Hager dedicated his Mother’s Day performance of “The Ocean” — an original song — to his grandmother, which prompted compliments from the judges. The song was written about his grandmother, he told the judges.
“I think that was one of the most beautiful songs I’ve ever heard about grandma in general,” judge Katy Perry said. “You continue to shock me and blow me away, and it’s amazing.”
A security guard who ‘wants to be on stage’
Back home in East Texas, Hager monitored cameras as a security guard. But he’s always been a performer, even from a very young age.
“I do not want to be sitting in that room for the rest of my life,” Hager said during his audition clip. I want to be on stage performing.”
Hager told the judges during his audition that season 11 winner Phillip Phillips inspired him as a singer and musician, and he even wore a red plaid shirt to emulate his role model.
“American Idol” described him as a “self-doubting security guard,” but the judges have seen improvement from him every week.
His debut EP has already hit No. 1
“My EP just hit No. 1 on the pop charts,” Hager said in a video posted to Twitter on April 28.
Hager’s self-titled EP hit the top of the pop charts on Apple Music while he was in the midst of competing on the show.
He’s even performed several of his original songs, like “The Ocean” and “All My Friends” on the “Idol” stage, with all of them receiving acclaim from the judges.
How’s he doing on the show?
Hager has impressed the judges and audience throughout the season, despite a health hurdle.
He had to miss the live performance on May 8 after contracting COVID-19, but was optimistic about returning for the semifinals. Luckily, “Idol” had a recording of Hager’s rehearsal of his original, “All My Friends,” which once again wowed the judges.
“For you to transition so much from the acoustic guitar to kind of have the electric guitar and kind of have that rock star moment — it looked amazing, sounded amazing,” Bryan said of his “All My Friends” performance.
The songwriter even managed to do a “perfect” performance out of a song that has been meme’d to infamy.
His moving twist on “Wonderwall” by Oasis elicited a standing ovation from the judges.
“For you to transition so much from the acoustic guitar to kind of having the electric guitar and kind of having that rock star moment — it looked amazing, sounded amazing,” Bryan said.
“That was not a meme, that was brilliance,” Perry said.
Midway through the competition, Hager quit his job as a security guard after he was urged to go all-in on his career as a musician by his father.
“I’m not singing all these crazy notes,” Hager said. “I’m conveying a feeling. I’m trying to draw people in.”
