Trent William Harmon (born October 8, 1990) is an American singer from Amory, Mississippi who won Season 15 of American Idol.
Background[]
Trent was born in Amory, Mississippi, the son of Cindy and Randy Harmon. He started in music when his mother taught him to sing "Amazing Grace" when he was the age of five, and he grew up singing in church. His family owns a farm and a yard-to-table restaurant, The Longhorn, where he worked as a waiter. He credits his upbringing on the farm and in the restaurant for his strong work ethic.
He sang and performed through many musicals throughout Amory High School and at the University of Arkansas-Monticello. Before his graduation from the University of Arkansas at Monticello, he led worship services on campus. He first learned to also play the piano but expanded to also play drums and guitar.
Trent first tried for national recognition in May 2014 when a close friend convinced him to try out for NBC's The Voice in New Orleans. He got a chance to audition for the show's four coaches in Los Angeles, but he didn't turn a chair. His audition never aired.
American Idol[]
Trent auditioned for American Idol in Little Rock, Arkansas, in August 2015, surprising the judges, after hearing of his farm upbringing, singing the rhythm and blues song "Unaware" by Allen Stone. He was the first R&B singer shown to be accepted by the judges in the season. It was revealed later in the season that Trent kept a leather-bound journal where he wrote down every comment and criticism the judges offered.
During Hollywood week, he was encouraged to quit by doctors when diagnosed with mono and sequestered in a bathroom for most of the week to keep the contagious disease from spreading. Despite being very sick, he impressed the judges when for an Idol first he performed the group round as a solo.
During "Idol Grammy Hits" Week Trent was coached to bring his "strange faces he makes when he sings" under control. Judge Harry Connick, Jr. noted that Trent had also lost an "exaggerated jaw vibrato" that would eventually cause him to lose his singing voice.
Trent won the fifteenth season of American Idol on April 7, 2016. His winning coronation single, "Falling", was written by singer-songwriter and American Idol judge Keith Urban with Dallas Davidson and Brett James. For winning the title, Trent received a Ford car and a recording contract with Big Machine Records. La'Porsha Renae was named the runner-up.
Performances[]
| Week | Theme | Song(s) | Original artist(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auditions | Contestant's choice | "Unaware" | Allen Stone |
| Hollywood Week | Lines of 10 | "Lay Me Down" | Sam Smith |
| Group Rounds* | "Rather Be" | Clean Bandit ft. Jess Glynne | |
| Final Judgment | "Tiny Dancer" | Elton John | |
| Top 24 | Contestant's choice | "What Are You Listening To" | Chris Stapleton |
| Top 10 | Contestant's choice | "Like I Can" | Sam Smith |
| Top 8 | Idol Grammy Hits | "When a Man Loves a Woman" | Percy Sledge |
| Top 6 | American Idol All Time Song Book | "See You Again" duet with La'Porsha Renae |
Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth |
| "Stand by Me | Ben E. King | ||
| Top 5 | America's Twitter Song Choice | "Counting Stars" | OneRepublic |
| "Simple Man | Lynyrd Skynyrd | ||
| Top 4 | Classic Rock / Sia | "Sharp Dressed Man" | ZZ Top |
| "Chandelier" | Sia | ||
| Top 3 | Hometown Dedication | "Tennessee Whiskey | Chris Stapleton |
| [Scott Borchetta]]'s Choice | "Drink You Away" | Justin Timberlake | |
| Judges' Choice | "Waiting Game " | Parson James | |
| Top 2 | Winner's Single | "Falling" | Trent Harmon |
| Scott Borchetta's Choice | "If You Don't Know Me by Now | Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes | |
| Favorite Performance | "Chandelier " | Sia | |
| Finale | Finale show | "It Takes Two " duetduet with La'Porsha Renae |
Marvin Gaye and Kim Weston |
| Winner's song | "Falling" | Trent Harmon |
- During the group rounds he sang solo due to being diagnosed with mono.
Post Idol[]
Trent signed a deal with Big Machine Records after winning the show. His first single, Falling, has since hit the Top 10 on iTunes. He got to sing the national anthem at the Manny Paciquo/Tim Bradley fight on April 9, 2016.
Following his American Idol win, Harmon was signed by Big Machine Records. His upcoming album will have country and indie-soul influences on it. Big Machine's Scott Borchetta said it would be like the country album Justin Timberlake would make.
In a post-show interview, Trent was asked his thoughts on his home state's anti-LGBT "Religious Liberty" legislation (HB1523) which allows people and businesses to deny service to LGBT people. He recounted that in the restaurant business, he served whoever walked in the door and treated them with respect, saying "I think that you should treat all people equally and respectfully, and that's what I do, and that's what I'm going to continue to do no matter what law is passed."
Trent debuted his new single, "There's a Girl", which was released on June 22, 2016, on Fox & Friends on June 24, 2016. He recorded a cover of the Gary Wright classic "Dream Weaver" for the soundtrack of the film Ice Age: Collision Course. His self-titled EP, which features a remix of "Falling" as well as his version of "Chandelier", was released on December 9, 2016.
You Got 'Em All (2018-present)[]
In February 2018, Trent released a new single called "You Got 'Em All". He later announced that his debut album, You Got 'Em All, will be released on May 18, 2018.
Discography[]
Albums:
- You Got 'Em All (2018)
EPs:
- Trent Harmon (2016)
Singles:
- "Falling" (2016)
- "There's a Girl" (2016)
- "Dream Weaver" (2016)
External Links[]
| 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. |