Blake Proehl
“Thank you all for the absolute FLOOD of messages, love and support (and requests to be your vocal coach! ) after last night’s episode of American Idol!
I have been singing this young man’s praises for two and a half years, and I’m so excited that the rest of the world gets to, now, too. Happy to hand over the reins to Katy, Luke and Lionel (for now).” Bobbi Miller
Ryan Seacrest Remembers Blake Proehl’s Journey – American Idol 2024
I could not be prouder of this incredible student (and all around awesome human). I met him a year ago during our very first voice lesson. I assured him that yes, indeed. He could SING. Here we are a year later, and look at all he’s done! So very proud.
Blake Proehl, a former Providence High School standout, played wide receiver at East Carolina University before signing with the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent after the 2021 NFL Draft.
The Proehl Legacy
His father, Ricky Proehl, played 17 years in the NFL, including three for the Carolina Panthers as a wide receiver, according to the team’s website. His brother, Austin Proehl, was drafted in the seventh round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills, according to NFL.com. He now plays for the St. Louis Battlehawks in the XFL.
Blake Proehl, right, a Charlotte native and former player for the NFL with family ties to the Carolina Panthers, auditions for Season 22 of “American Idol” on ABC. Proehl brought his grandmother to the audition. Eric McCandless Disney “I grew up in a football family,” Proehl said in a preview of the show’s premiere posted to YouTube. “But I got a really bad injury. Doctors said ‘it’ll be a success story if you’re able to run again.’”
Proehl has amassed nearly 600,000 followers on TikTok, where he posts videos of himself singing covers of emotional pop songs like “Wish You The Best” and “Someone You Loved” by Scottish singer Lewis Capaldi. In 2021,
Proehl posted a TikTok of himself playing the piano and singing for the first time in front of his grandmother, which received nearly 4 million likes.