For most college students, preparing for a new semester means buying textbooks and settling into routines. For current Samford sophomore Alex Kanaday and former Samford student Jackson White, it meant stepping into audition rooms, looking into cameras and the possibility of singing on national television.
Both musicians — one who transferred to Samford University and one who left after his freshman year to pursue music full-time — found themselves chasing the same opportunity: a chance to compete on the nationwide singing competition, American Idol.
Though their paths to their auditions were different, their journeys intersect in a shared belief that music was worth the risk.
Kanaday, a commercial music major with a songwriting concentration, began the audition process almost by accident after her mother signed her up for a late-August Zoom call with producers.
“Very late August, I got home from school one day, and I kind of forgot about it,” Kanaday said. “I just got on the Zoom, and I did the whole introduction thing. I was talking to a producer of the show. The 1st round, she said, ‘Hey, sing a song,’ but she ended up making me sing 4 songs.”
Producers advanced her through multiple virtual rounds, including one where she performed an original piece, before inviting her to audition in- person in front of the celebrity judges, Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan, in Nashville in early November of 2025.
White’s path began hundreds of miles away, but with a similarly unexpected push. A cover video he posted on Instagram and TikTok caught the attention of an American Idol casting staffer, leading to virtual auditions over the summer and eventually an in-person audition.
“I actually posted a video on Instagram and TikTok back in May, and it was a cover of Nora Jones song, ‘Don’t Know Why’. It’s just like a cool sunset cover video, and it did pretty well,” White said. “From the video, somebody reached out from the American Idol casting team, and I was like, ‘Dude, I love American Idol,’ but it all started just from posting a video.”
By the time auditions arrived, both students had already made significant life changes. Kanaday had transferred to Samford from Lee University after her freshman year, while White had decided just two weeks before classes started not to return to Samford at all, moving back to Nashville to pursue music full-time.
As for her in-person audition day in Nashville, Kanaday described long hours of filming interviews, rehearsals and waiting alongside other contestants before stepping into the room.
“Your audition might show you sitting there rubbing your hands back and forth, acting like you’re nervous, but you are running around all day doing all kinds of stuff,” Kanaday said. “The interviews, the photos, and all. I was put in minivans picking me back and forth, up and down the street to the different interviews. I was like, “Hi, I’ve never met you before. I guess you’re gonna drive me!’”
Yet in the moments before performing, she felt an unexpected calm as she spoke to American Idol host Ryan Seacrest with her immediate and extended family around her.
“I was not nervous at all, and that is not like me. I get nervous. I was way more nervous leading worship at church on Sunday than I was walking into that room,” Kanaday said. “I don’t know if that was just peace that’s indescribable, like a little gift that day, or if it was the adrenaline, just pumping because, hello, pinch me moment, you know?”
White experienced a similar excitement that outweighed fear as he waited outside the audition room.
“That’s probably like the most excited for something that I’ve been, maybe ever,” White said. “It was definitely a little bit of nerves, but more exciting than anything. It felt like I was in a movie, and it was crazy, but I was really like just pumped.”
Both artists chose songs that reflected who they are. Kanaday performed an original song written for her late father, a deeply personal piece inspired by sunsets and memories she associates with him. White performed Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” accompanied by his father on guitar, blending family support with musical expression.
For Kanaday, the presence of her entire family, a “cheer squad” that traveled to support her, underscored how personal the moment was. For White, sharing the stage with his father created a memory he described as once-in-a-lifetime.
Kanaday said the connections formed with other contestants stayed with her long after the audition ended. One contestant in particular that Kanaday was thankful to meet was Hannah Harper, who Kanaday believes could make it far in the competition.
White echoed that sentiment, recalling jam sessions and conversations with artists from many parts of the United States and even international artists.
“There were groups playing, singing, worshiping together,” White said. “It was a really cool experience to hang out with other artists who are pursuing the same thing as you and I made a ton of cool friends and connections through that.”
During her time at Lee University, Kanaday stood out to faculty for her talent and leadership. Dr. Cameron Weatherford, assistant professor of choral music, remembered encouraging her through the challenges of rigorous music coursework. He is excited to support her as her audition may be aired on television this month.
“I’m just really proud of her. I’m proud of her story with her dad this past summer. She moved back home over the summer,” Dr. Weatherford said. “She was feeling some kind of call or switch to transfer, that was just the Lord’s hand to get her back close to home with her mom. That, to me, is such a huge part of the story, no matter what school she ended up at. The Lord was just leading her to do that, and she listened, whether she knew she was listening for the right reason at the time or not. She pursued that. I think that is worth celebrating and being proud of. I’m so thrilled that she’s finding her way musically.”
For White, returning to Nashville allowed him to immerse himself fully in songwriting and performance, working gigs while building connections in the city’s music scene, especially as he also works in a coffee shop in Nashville.
“This is the most I’ve put into my craft and my passion for music, and I’ve really enjoyed having the time to do that now being back in Music City,” White said. “Having doors open like getting to be on the show and auditioning—all of this has been such a cool experience, and I would recommend it to everybody to at least try it.”
Kanaday hopes listeners will ultimately recognize her, regardless of the undisclosed outcome of her experience on American Idol, as a songwriter whose music carries meaning beyond the stage.
“While I’m not a Christian artist, and that’s not the direction I’m wanting to go with my music, I hope that people can always see, hear, feel traces of Christ,” Kanaday said.
White, meanwhile, is preparing to release new music this spring while continuing to perform live.
For two musicians connected to the same campus, their auditions represent more than a shot at fame. They mark the beginning of journeys that started in classrooms, rehearsal spaces and dorm rooms, and now extend onto one of America’s biggest stages.
To learn more about Kanaday, White and their music, follow them on Instagram @alex.kanaday and @jacksonwhitemusiic or TikTok @alex_kanaday and @jacksonwhitemusic.
Staff Reporter
