CMU student heads to Hollywood on 'American Idol'
Tripp Taylor, a Carnegie Mellon University student, wowed the judges on "American Idol" at his audition in Nashville.
You'd never know it by watching, but he says he was incredibly nervous.
"I was really trying to hold in all the fear, but I was terrified,” Taylor told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4. "Terrified inside."
Tripp isn't a stranger to the stage, though. A native of South Carolina, he grew up singing and acting. He's now a freshman at CMU in the school of drama.
"I'd love to do acting. I'd love to be in TV shows, movies, if that comes along in the career, you know," Tripp said. "If some auditions go well, I'd love to do stage stuff, but I'd also love to put out music."
Tripp says it was his circle of friends who encouraged him to go for it.
"I wasn't planning on doing it, but I was talking to my friends and they told me that they couldn't see the downside, like, there was no reason not to do it," he said." So why not just go for it?"
When the judges reacted so positively, Tripp says he read it as a sign.
"I feel like it's a really surreal moment whenever all of these amazingly talented people are telling you that you have an amazing voice," he said. "It makes you feel like you're good enough. It makes you feel like you could do this in the actual music professional career. It's really reassuring to be told you're good enough."
Catch Tripp on "American Idol" on WTAE Channel 4. All new episodes air Sundays at 8 p.m.