Singer-songwriter Slater Nalley performed the emotional original song “Traces of You” on the reality singing competition “American Idol.”
In doing so, he was able to move all three judges (Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood, and Luke Bryan) to tears.
Nalley, who hails from Atlanta, Georgia, was introduced to the “Idol” judges by his high school teacher, Mrs. Davis, who shared that Nalley wrote a song in memory of her late son, who was killed eight years ago. She was able to take a poem that she wrote about the loss of her loss, and he put it into music, and the result was simply magical.
Nalley began the song in a raw, controlled, unplugged fashion as he accompanied himself on acoustic guitar.
“Your laugh was like a river running home, that crooked smile made people talk, you know, about the boy whose eyes flickered like the light before it goes, your laugh was like a river running home,” Nalley sings in the opening verse, instantly luring his audience in from the first note.
The lyrics were literally pure poetry (courtesy of Mrs. Davis), and filled with such bold, vibrant, and unflinching imagery; moreover the lyrics were conversational but not contrived. It ought to be enjoyed for its beauty, authenticity, and simplicity.
This song was so personal to him that anybody who has ever lost anybody in their lives would find it warm, resonant, and relatable. Nalley was not afraid to be vulnerable and his vulnerability is the audience’s reward.
It is bound to have the same effect on listeners as Miranda Lambert’s “The House That Built Me” and Bonnie Raitt’s “Just Like That.”
Slater Nalley allows his rich, rumbling, and gravelly voice to shine on this tune, where the listener can recall such country artists as Tyler Farr and Jamey Johnson, and that is meant to be taken as a compliment.
It is evident that he left everybody in the “Idol” studio misty-eyed. This will be one audition that will be hard to be surpassed.
Hopefully, this is a harbinger of more great things and quality music to come from Slater Nalley in the future, and an indication that he will go far in the “American Idol” competition. His natural talent is too good to be ignored.
“Traces of You” is available on digital service providers by clicking here. Slater Nalley’s vocal performance garners an A rating. Well done.
To learn more about rising singer-songwriter Slater Nalley, follow him on Instagram.
