Hollywood Week is where American Idol dreams either catch fire — or fade fast. For 22-year-old Braden Rumfelt from Murphy, it was the moment everything shifted.
Taking on Sam Smith’s emotional ballad “I’m Not The Only One,” Rumfelt chose a song that demands control, vulnerability, and vocal strength. It’s not an easy track to make your own. But from the first note, it was clear he wasn’t playing it safe.
His tone carried a raw ache that immediately quieted the room.
As the performance built, so did the judges’ reactions. Lionel Richie leaned forward. Carrie Underwood locked in. And then came the moment that set social media buzzing — Luke Bryan literally jumped out of his seat mid-performance.
Bryan, visibly fired up, cheered Rumfelt on as he powered through the song’s emotional peak. It wasn’t a polite nod of approval. It was an instinctive reaction to a singer fully owning the stage.
By the final note, the room felt different.
Luke didn’t hold back in his feedback. Calling attention to both the vocal control and emotional connection, he suggested Rumfelt isn’t just surviving Hollywood Week — he could be a serious contender. At one point, Bryan even hinted that Braden “might win,” a bold prediction this early in the competition.
For a round known for nerves and meltdowns, Rumfelt looked steady. Confident. Present.
Fans quickly echoed the judges online, praising his song choice and the way he avoided over-singing a track that can easily become theatrical. Instead, he delivered restraint where it mattered — and power when it counted.
Hollywood Week is notorious for shaking even strong vocalists. But for Braden Rumfelt, it may have been the moment he separated himself from the pack.
If Luke Bryan’s reaction is any indication, Murphy, North Carolina might just be watching one of its own make a very deep run.
