Oliver Steele Stuns ‘American Idol’ Judges with Moving Original “Too Soon”

Still thinking of his father, Toby, who recently suffered a stroke, Oliver Steele left the judges nearly speechless after sharing his original song “Too Soon,” which took him into the Top 20 of American Idol.

The 25-year-old singer and songwriter from Mount Juliet, Tennessee recently released two of his own original songs in 2023, including “As It Was” and his most recent song “Too Soon,” which was recorded at Pitch Studios in Nashville.

Sharing the latter as his Top 20 song, Steele sang through the soulful ballad And I try
I try to learn from the past / ‘Cause I don’t wanna move too fast / And mess up my chances with you.

“‘Too Soon’ written and performed by Oliver Steele,” said Luke Bryan, following Steele’s performance. “To stand up there at this point in the competition and create the mood with an original song of yours, great job, 10 out of 10 for that one.

Lionel Richie added, “Songwriter, check. Stylist, check. … Your talent is on fire. Enjoy this round.”

Katy Perry told Steele that the song showcased his artistry. “It’s just incredible to see your journey,” said Perry, who also praised him for his original song. “I know that you’re doing a lot of sacrifices and it’s really hard to be away from your father right now, and all that you’re going through. We’re so proud of you, and we’re here for you. I think I can say that even though you’re struggling, I think your father just wants the best for you, and you are doing your best.”

Steele was originally joined by his father during his emotional audition of the Eric Clapton classic “Change the World,” which he dedicated to his dad. Severely impacted on the left side of his body since his stroke, Steele’s father was unable to make the trips with his son to Hollywood Week, Hawaii, and additional stops during the competition.

During Hollywood Week, Steele captivated the judges again with his rendition of Chris Stapleton‘s 2017 hit “Broken Halos,” followed by Jack Johnson’s “Better Together” during Hawaii Week.

“It’s still kind of hard to process that I’m here and made it this far,” said Steele in his pre-recorded interview. “It’s been absolutely amazing, but I’ve sacrificed quite a bit being a musician. My father’s been in the hospital the past four or five weeks. At one point he was unconscious and not responsive, and I was gone.”

Steele said that his father is now out of the hospital but on dialysis. “He is on dialysis, which is something he has to do every single day, and I’m unable to be there for him right now,” said the singer. “It’s difficult but at the same time I see this happiness coming from him as I go further in this competition.”

A tearful Steele added, “I definitely feel like I’m speaking to my dad in my music. He gave up his dream and his life to raise me. I hope that one day I can give back and say thank you for everything he’s done.”

Photo: ABC / Eric McCandless