PHOTO BY MARK ROBERTSON-BAKER II
When Aidan Bowman took guitar ensemble his first semester at UVA Wise, his professor, apparently impressed by his talent, would kid him saying, “I get 30 percent.”
In an unexpected twist, later that fall 2023 semester, Bowman auditioned for one of the most famous singing competitions in the U.S.—“American Idol.”
While others were preparing for finals, Bowman flew to Los Angeles to perform for the show’s celebrity judges—Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan.
“It’s been, hands down, the greatest experience of my life. It’s everything I’ve dreamed of. I’m a huge fan of all three of them and I’m super thankful to be given this opportunity,” said Bowman, 20, a Pound-native and UVA Wise exercise science major.
The premiere of “American Idol’s” 22nd season kicked off on February 18. Bowman, along with family, friends and UVA Wise supporters will continue to check into upcoming episodes to follow Bowman’s journey.
This month, Bowman, 20, also released his first rock single, “She Knows,” on Apple Music, Spotify and other streaming music platforms. He wrote the song and played on all instruments but drums. So far, the response has been good—from “American Idol” fellow contestants, friends, family and new listeners.
“It’s about wanting somebody that you miss or can’t have. I wanted to write a song a lot of people could relate to. I wanted my experiences to intertwine with other people’s different experiences,” he said.
A self-taught musician, Bowman said music is in his DNA, coming from both sides of his family.
At around six or seven years old, he began playing music with his twin brother, who played guitar while Aidan played drums. When his nine-year-old brother tragically passed away, Aidan started playing guitar. In middle school, Bowman began singing.
Now he’s a singer-songwriter creating every kind of music imaginable—rock, pop, soul and country.
PHOTO BY MARK ROBERTSON-BAKER II
“I have a special connection with music. Regardless of the mood I’m in, music puts me in a good one. I honestly think it’s made me a better person. It’s allowed me to progress as a songwriter, a guitar player and play in front of people,” he said. “It’s always fun to play for people.”
But he was blind-sided when he learned about the chance to audition for “American Idol.” Seemingly out of the blue, he got the email. That’s because his mom, Crystal Shortt Bowman, a 1998 UVA Wise alumna, applied for him without telling him.
“My mom plotted all of this. She submitted a video of me singing and I get an email on my phone saying, ‘We’d like to have a call back for you on ‘American Idol’,’” Bowman said. “I was like ‘What?’ I went outside and told her and she’s like, ‘Oh yeah, I submitted a video of you.’”
It started last summer.
“We were just sitting on our front porch one day and he belts out this song and I record it. I trimmed it down to where I felt like it was his best performance,” Shortt Bowman said. “I get little concerts at home all the time. He’s always randomly playing stuff and nailing it.”
So when she discovered “American Idol” was doing online auditions she thought, “He’s great, let’s just give it a shot and see.”
Bowman did numerous rounds of Zoom auditions and kept moving up the ladder until finally, he got the invite to Los Angeles to audition in front of the celebrity judges.
“It was probably one of the best moments of my life hearing those words,” Bowman said. “I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is happening.’ It was great, and also nerve-wracking.”
While auditioning in Los Angeles, Bowman received vocal and guitar coaching and gained expertise in sound production. He also made lots of great friends with fellow contestants.