‘American Idol’ audition winner visits Ferris

FERRIS – Her bubbly personality while visiting ECP-TV made you fall in love with her.

In fact, just liked it appeared Katy Perry did, which you saw if you tuned in Monday night to watch Red Oak resident Jade Flores get the green light to Hollywood on “American Idol.”

Her interview and the short strum of a few lines from a song not only impressed locals Sunday afternoon, but also the “American Idol” judges Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Ritchie.

Before her song she conversed with Perry, Bryan and Ritchie, discovering her and Perry both pierced their noses at the same age and without their parent’s knowledge.

Then the fun began as Flores, now 23, belted out Deana Carter’s “Strawberry Wine” accompanied by her acoustic guitar.

Flores’ passion was evident.

After all, she has been singing most of her life. Singing for the first time at the age of 11, that time it was “At Last” by Etta James in front of her family.

While she said she wasn’t always sure what type music she wanted to sing, it was finally country music that held her interest.

Auditioning for “American Idol” in Plano, Flores was told she was not current enough when she sang the Johnny Cash song “Folsom Prison Blues.”

Not to be discouraged, her father drove her to the audition in Austin and she nailed it with that same song receiving a standing ovation there.

These days she bills herself as a funeral singer and there is good reason.

Over the past 12 years Flores not only had to halt an athletic passion due to a knee injury, but she almost died in a car accident as well.

“I taught myself to play guitar at the age of 13 from YouTube videos,” Flores explained. “I began playing a variety of music and enjoyed different genres, but country music was always home.” From there she began playing every second Saturday at the Red Oak Opry, which is still held at the local Cowboy Church.

She has gigged around Dallas/Fort Worth at venues like House of Blues, Gilleys and the Fort Worth Stockyards.

However, it was in 2016 when the truck she was driving during a rain storm hit a ditch, flipped three times and ended up in a creek that her life changed.

With the water seeping into the truck Flores said, “I thought I was going to die.”

Two men saved her that day and she said, “After surviving the accident with no serious injuries, I knew I had a bigger calling.”

Soon after she began what she calls a “funeral business” singing at funerals.

“As much as I loved doing gigs, I felt I needed to do more with my voice in way I could truly help people,” she said.

Before she went on “American Idol” Flores said she had insecurity issues,” but no more.

Bryan said of her performance “You’re a really, really good singer. I think I’m liking it, and I think I like how much fun you’re having with this.”

Richie said, “Oh, my gosh. A lot of people hinge their whole careers on being great singers. They forget there’s a word called entertaining. Watching you entertain us was just as powerful as your singing.”

Finally, Perry told Flores “You really have the personality to back up the voice. I heard you as an artist, and I actually heard you as a country artist.”

Unanimously the judges said, “You’re going to Hollywood” and Flores is ready.

“Music can be inconsistent, but this experience has matured me as a musician and as a person,” she concluded.