MANILA, Philippines — Filipino-American singer Francisco Martin recently entered the top 20 of the current season of hit US talent search “American Idol.”
In his Instagram account, Francisco thanked the reality singing competition for giving him a chance to showcase his talent.
“Dazed and beyond grateful. Thank you American Idol for giving this anxious boy a chance,” wrote the 19-year-old "Francisco from Francisco."
The pre-law student from San Francisco, California also posted on Twitter to thank the judges for including him in the competition’s top 20.
Love you @AmericanIdol ???? https://t.co/ruCbc4hAdu
— Francisco Martin (@fronciscomartin) April 1, 2020
He also showed appreciation for other "Idol" judges Lionel Richie, Luke Bryan and Katy Perry, and also to host Ryan Seacrest.
Francisco sang Harry Styles' "Falling" for the showcase round on the show's Sunday episode in Hawaii. The judges were up on their feet after his performance.
Katy even likened him to Bruno Mars.
“I was like, is that Bruno Mars? I like it,” Katy said.
“You check every box. I have a feeling that great things are just going to happen to you in this experience. You’re just a wonderful talent,” Luke added.
Martin’s "Falling" performance is now among the top-trending videos on YouTube. His "American Idol" garnered millions of views on the platform.
In his "Idol" profile, Francisco said that he is proud of his Filipino heritage and he often covers some iconic Tagalog songs, including “Buwan” by JK Labajo.
"American Idol" suspended its taping after the top 20 were selected and the contestants, including Martin, were sent home, due to the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. — Video from YouTube/American Idol