The beloved competition’s final three contestants were Beckham, 24, Grace Kinstler and Willie Spence. Early in the show, judge Katy Perry predicted that Beckham, a former heavy machine operator, would create the top five. “[He is a] actual, bona fide musical performer,” she said, noting he could go”where [he wants] to go” career-wise.
He proceeded on to Hollywood rounds before continuing to progress in the competition.
According to the reality celebrity, he was not always so talented.
“I’d like to sing in my room and my sisters could be like,’Shut the door! That sounds terrible! ”’ he advised the San Bernardino Sun in April. “Everybody would inform me that, dude. … It was not great. I pushed me to become better.”
But Beckham kept working on his craft. After being included in a drunk-driving accident last autumn, Beckham made a decision to turn his life around — and then turn into music for healing. The episode inspired him to compose the song”23,” that found its way to the top of the country music charts as soon as it had been released earlier this season.
“I wrote it and I sort of kept in my pocket and played it for people here and there,” Beckham told the paper. “It was never anything that I was banking on, and that I was like,’Hey, listen to this great tune’ People would tell me,’Man, that song will be on the radio one day,’ and I was like,’There’s no way,’ because I just could not picture it.”
After his triumph, Idol judges were eager to congratulate the newest winner.
“Congrats to @chaycebeckhammusic!!! Well deserved friend! It has been so amazing to watch you grow. Can’t wait to see where another chapter in this journey takes you,” Bryan, 44, wrote through Instagram.
Richie, 71, chimed in as well, posting a selfie with his fellow judges, Beckham and sponsor Ryan Seacrest.
“That’s a wrap on an amazing period of #AmericanIdol! Say hello to #TheNextIdol @chaycebeckhammusic. Thank you for watching! See you soon ?,” that he composed .
