Avalon Jean Young (born July 16, 1994) is an American singer from San Diego, California, who finished in the Top 8 on Season 15 of American Idol.
Background[]
She was named by her mother after the album of the same name by Roxy Music. She learned how to play guitar during her middle school. Young began singing during her senior year and was a band member of Over the Edge. Young originally worked as a server at a restaurant.
American Idol[]
Avalon Young auditioned in San Francisco with Beyonce's "XO" and received a ticket to Hollywood. She advanced past Hollywood's Lines of Ten, Group Round, and performed "One Last Time" by Ariana Grande for her Hollywood Solo round. She then advanced to Showcase week where she performed "Yo (Excuse Me Miss)" by Chris Brown and advanced to the Top 24. During the Top 24, she performed "Love Yourself" by Justin Bieber and performed a duet with Ruben Studdard singing his coronation song titled "Flying Without Wings". Afterwards, she advanced to the Top 14 where she performed a reprise of "Yo (Excuse Me Miss)" by Chris Brown for America's Vote. She secured herself a spot in Season 15's Top 10 where she performed "Stitches" by Shawn Mendes. She ended up in the Bottom 3 with fellow contestants Olivia Rox and Gianna Isabella but was chosen by the judges to continue on to the Top 8. For the Top 8, she performed "Earned It" by The Weekend and was eliminated in a double elimination with fellow contestant Lee Jean.
Performances[]
| Episode | Theme | Song choice | Original artist | Order # | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audition | Auditioner's Choice | "XO" | Beyonce | N/A | Advanced |
| Hollywood Round, Lines of Ten | A Capella | *unaired - Genie in a Bottle | Christina Aguilera | N/A | Advanced |
| Hollywood Round, Group Round | Group Performance | DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love | Usher | N/A | Advanced |
| Hollywood Round, Solo Round | Solo | "One Last Time" | Ariana Grande | N/A | Advanced |
| Showcase Week | Personal Choice | "Yo (Excuse Me Miss)" | Chris Brown | N/A | Advanced |
| Top 24 | Contestant's Choice & Idol Duets | "Love Yourself'" | Justin Bieber | 9 | Advanced |
| Duet "Flying Without Wings" with Ruben Studdard | Ruben Studdard | 9 | |||
| Top 14 | Favorite Moment | "Yo (Excuse Me Miss)" | Chris Brown | 5 | Advanced |
| Top 10 | Contestant's Choice | "Stitches" | Shawn Mendes | 4 | Bottom 3 |
| Top 8 | Idol Grammy Hits | "Earned It" | The Weekend | 8 | Eliminated |
Post Idol[]
After her time on the show, Avalon did some interviews. She would release her first single, "What's Real", on May 1, 2016.
In 2021, it was revealed Avalon was suffering from brain cancer and needed financial assistance for treatment.
Avalon auditioned for the 21st season of American Idol and was eliminated on the first day of Hollywood Week.
Discography[]
Singles:
- "What's Real" (2016)
| Season 15 |
| Finalists |
| ·Trent Harmon ·La'Porsha Renae ·Dalton Rapattoni ·MacKenzie Bourg ·Sonika Vaid ·Tristan McIntosh ·Lee Jean ·Avalon Young ·Gianna Isabella ·Olivia Rox |
| Semifinalists |
| ·Jenn Blosil ·Jeneve Rose Mitchell ·Thomas Stringfellow ·Manny Torres ·James VIII ·Emily Brooke ·Amelia Eisenhauer ·C.J. Johnson ·Adam Lasher ·Stephany Negrete ·Jenna Renae ·Jordan Sasser ·Kory Wheeler ·Shelbie Z. |