At 17-years-old, Sam Woolf could be enjoying his last months as a high school senior awaiting college acceptances and relishing his final days of lockers and cafeteria lunch food. But instead of auditioning for the school musical, he's trying his hand at a much larger stage — American Idol. Don't let his age fool you, though. American Idol has a long list of successful teenage contestants (plus, lots of teens have been featured this season) and from the looks of it, Woolf may soon join that growing number of young Idol talent.
His pitch perfect voice first took center stage during auditions with a sped-up version of Ed Sheeran's "Leggo House." During Hollywood Week, he hit us again with vocals near pure perfection with a rendition of John Mayer's "Waiting On The World To Change." Always with his guitar in hand, it's clear Woolf has a musician's ear and tonal quality to match.
While Woolf is obviously a strong contender for American Idol victory, we fear the one element standing between him and a record deal is his overall disposition. Aside from a few smiles, Woolf stands pretty lifeless on stage, a quality the judges pinpointed from the very beginning of his audition.
With a history of American Idol winners who have gone on to not only sing, but also act and star on Broadway, there is hard proof that the winner of this competition must not only be able to carry a tune, but also attract the attention of audiences worldwide with a personality that remains long after their performance ends. In a world dominated by 24/7 social media, Woolf's vocal ability alone is not enough to attract the American public week after week. They're going to want something more to connect with.
It's time for Woolf to start sharing personal stories, to look up from his guitar during performances, and maybe even smile a bit. There's no telling what a flash of those pearly whites can do for the voting tallies.
Image: Fox
