Braden Rumfelt, a 22-year-old substitute teacher from Murphy, North Carolina, had once dreamed of a professional sports career. Encouraged by his father, Braden’s plans were derailed by a congenital leg condition and multiple surgeries. “Going into high school, I started having knee pain in both legs. I found out I have a congenital issue—my legs are naturally in the wrong position. I needed two lower leg realignments,” he shared. “It was tough seeing everybody else do what I wanted to do.”
The one thing that eased Braden’s disappointment was singing with his twin brother, Kellen. “I felt better when I was singing, and Kellen was my voice of encouragement,” Braden explained. Kellen echoed the sentiment, calling Braden his hero and praising his natural talent for music.
Although nervous to audition, Braden stepped onto the American Idol stage and delivered a stunning rendition of Little Big Town’s “Girl Crush”, with Kellen strumming alongside him. His effortless vocals and emotional delivery left judges Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie in awe.
Underwood encouraged him to relax and enjoy the moment, while Bryan compared him to a “racehorse” ready to break out. Richie praised the texture and range of his voice, noting its immense potential.
The judges unanimously sent Braden through to Hollywood Week. “We’re fired up. Let’s go. Is this real? I almost wanted to pinch myself,” Braden said afterward, crediting Kellen for helping him reach this milestone.
Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie later told producers that Braden is only “80% of what he could be doing”, hinting at even greater potential to come.
New episodes of American Idol air Mondays at 8/7c on ABC and are available to stream the next day on Hulu.