Wheaton Man Wins Over Judges In 'American Idol' Audition

WHEATON, IL — When Wheaton native Sam Sohmer stepped in front of the "American Idol Judges" to audition Monday, he already gave off the confident vibe of a seasoned celeb. His shaved head, which is topped with tightly wound, long blond curls grabbed the attention of the show's judges, but it was his soulful voice that got him the golden ticket to head to Hollywood and compete on "American Idol."

Sohmer even has a stage name already: Samothias. The eye-catching hair and single-word moniker bring to mind another musician, who Lionel Ritchie said Sohmer brought to mind: Prince.

A classically trained pianist, Sohmer sat down behind the piano to perform "Tennessee Whiskey" by Chris Stapleton. Mid-song, judge Blake Shelton asked him to hit the song's high note with the full force of his voice.

Sohmer stood up, powered through the verse, and grimaced, but the judge's praised his voice. They suggested that Sohmer, who has been singing since he was a sophomore at Wheaton North High School, would benefit from ramping up the emotion and just letting his voice go. Judge Katy Perry called it "vocal foreplay."

It's a style and technique Prince mastered.

At Wheaton North, Sohmer performed in drama and choir productions. Below, you can catch a clip of him proving himself as a skilled and confident performer in Wheaton North Drama's 2015 Musical, "West Side Story."

Samothias nabbed the golden ticket with a "yes" vote from each of the judges, which means he'll be heading to Hollywood to represent Wheaton for a chance to let his voice go —and hopefully be caught— by legions of listeners.

Watch Sohmer's full audition below:

>>>Image via YouTube, American Idol