Tyler’s Fritz Hager III to be featured on ‘American Idol’ finale for duet performance

Published 4:08 pm Friday, May 20, 2022

Fritz Hager III’s journey on “American Idol” is not quite over, after all.

The 22-year-old Tyler local made it to top 5 of the national singing competition before being eliminated. Hager announced on his social media Friday afternoon that he will make a special appearance on Sunday night’s finale.

According to a post from “American Idol,” Hager will be performing alongside James Arthur as they duet “Can I Be Him.”

“So excited to be back on the (‘American Idol’) stage for the finale alongside the incredible (James Arthur) for one last song,” Hager said on his Twitter and Facebook pages. “Be sure to tune in on Sunday, it’s gonna be wild!”

Arthur is an English singer and songwriter who won the ninth season of The X Factor in 2012.

The three-hour episode will air at 7 p.m. Sunday night on ABC.

Noah Thompson, Leah Marlene and HunterGirl are the final 3 contestants fighting for the Season 20 “American Idol” winning title.

Hager began his ”American Idol” journey when he auditioned for Season 19 but didn’t make the cut. This past summer, he auditioned for Season 20 and advanced to the taped auditions in front of celebrity judges in Austin. He advanced in the competition all the way to the top 5 before being voted out.

Hager released a self-titled EP in March and in April, it topped the iTunes Pop Chart as the No. 1 album and also made rounds on the All Genres Chart. His most recent single, “Hearts Align,” has also been popular, according to listeners.

Hager has loved music since he was a young child, according to his parents. He was in talent shows, local musicals and theater productions, earned national recognition and a scholarship, and much more throughout his grade school career. Before going on this season of “American Idol,” he was involved in Tyler Civic Theatre productions such as ”Newsies” and ”West Side Story.”

Although he was eliminated from the competition, Hager said his career in music is just beginning. “This is not the end, it’s just page 1,” he said.

Once he made it to the top 24 on “Idol,” he quit his job working as a security guard in Tyler. It was a move encouraged by his parents Fritz Hager Jr. and Sarina Hager, who have previously told the Tyler Morning Telegraph they believe their son will have a successful career thanks to the combination of his natural talent and the exposure the show brought him.

Throughout the show, Hager III consistently said how grateful he was for the experience and how much it helped him grow.

“For the first time, I think I can really say that I’m proud of myself,” Hager said prior to being eliminated on “Idol.” “I never thought that I would make it this far … Regardless of what happens, my life is changed forever.”