‘American Idol’ Fans, Here's Where You May Have Seen Contestant Blake Proehl Before

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American Idol is officially underway for season 7 (overall season 22), and the 2024 installment is already bringing in all the talent! As aspiring musicians audition in front of judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie, they hope to make enough of an impression to earn a golden ticket and secure their spot in Hollywood.

One such competitor looking for his chance at musical stardom is Blake Proehl. Viewers first met Blake in the season premiere on February 18, where he performed a stirring version of Brett Young's "In Case You Didn't Know." As his grandmother stood beside him and he played the piano, the judges were mesmerized by the singer's soulful approach to the track. Afterward, Katy delivered especially high praise.

"Listen — every grandma thinks that their grandchildren are great," she began. "But you're right! If you will allow us to be your coaches, you're gonna be Top 10."

As AI fans are introduced to Blake's vocal ability, folks might be surprised to learn that this isn't his first time in the spotlight.

Before he auditioned for the show, he'd been on TV in a very different way as a player for the National Football League (NFL). The Georgia native originally played wide receiver for the East Carolina Pirates at his alma mater East Carolina University, before signing with the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2021. Football was also in his blood, as his dad is former wide receiver Ricky Proehl, who played in the 2000 Super Bowl with the St. Louis Rams.

"My dad played in the league for about 17 years, and I grew up and kind of dedicated everything I know to football," he explained to Katy, Luke and Lionel in his audition. "My dream was to make it to the NFL."

After playing for the Vikings for three years, Blake suffered a career-ending knee injury that forced him to quit the team and leave the NFL. This led him to start focusing on his love for music, and eventually he posted a video of him singing "In Case You Didn't Know" for his grandmother on TikTok. The clip quickly went viral on the platform, amassing more than 28 million views as of February 2024.

"A moment I’ll never forget 🖤," he wrote in December 2021. "I love you Nana."

Just a few months later, Blake announced he would be releasing his first official single called "Falling Into You." The song dropped in March 2022, and fans loved seeing him document the journey to releasing the song on TikTok.

"Hopefully you guys feel the same … 😂😂," he joked about screenshooting his manager's reaction to the track in March 2022. "'Falling Into You' is officially out on all platforms thanks to you guys."

Throughout his journey to American Idol, Blake says he's been lucky to have his grandmother by his side. In addition to crediting her for pushing him to audition, he detailed how much her support has meant to him.

"She’s the reason why I have any confidence at all to be in this room," he told the judges during his audition.

As Blake ventures further into his new career, he's certainly getting noticed. And while only time will tell how far he'll make it on American Idol, he's already taken the first step toward making this very different dream come true.

"Did someone say 'Hollywood?'" he wrote on Instagram on February 18, along with a smiling selfie holding his golden ticket.

Looks like we need to keep our eyes peeled for what's next from Blake!

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