When singer-songwriter and street busker, Murphy performed a cover of Bill Withers’ “Just the Two of Us” for his American Idol audition, judges Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan were skeptical.
“I think you’re on the precipice of something, but you’re not quite there,” says Katy. “You’ve got a storyteller voice, but it needs a little bit more…dynamics.” Lionel wants to “take the novelty part out of this.” He added, “You’re going to have to shed a couple of layers of…mystique to let us see more of you.”
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When Lionel asks for another song, Murphy sings his own composition, “The Painted Man,” which catches Lionel’s attention. “I couldn’t help but watch your face,” says Lionel after his heartfelt performance, “You were having the best time of your life.”
When it came time to vote, Luke thought a second and decided to give Murphy a shot. But for Katy, she feels he needs to be “a little more mainstream” to be right for American Idol. “It’s a no for me,” she says.
And then the clip cuts right off before Lionel makes his decision. But American Idol wouldn’t take us all this way to deliver a sad story when Murphy’s episode airs on Sunday March 7 at 8 pm ET/PT on ABC? Fans will have to tune in to find out!
Phillip Murphy Wiggins is a Baltimore street performer who goes by “Blind Boy” or just Murphy. Indeed, he’s honed his skills playing anywhere and everywhere. Check out his socials: Instagram Facebook Youtube.
Watch Murphy’s American Idol audition below.
