Fritz Hager of Tyler auditions for the 20th season of “American Idol.”

A Tyler singer is hoping his next audition will lead to a golden ticket.

“Just getting the opportunity is a dream come true really because I’ve been a fan of the show for so long,” Fritz Hager said about auditioning for the celebrity judges of “American Idol.”

“I’m going into it super nervous because I know it’s my one shot, so I really want to make the most of it.”

Hager moved on to an audition for the celebrity judges after a day of performing for producers of the show months ago.

Hager said he has been singing his whole life and began performing at farmers markets in high school as well as the Foundry Coffee House. He also has been active in the Tyler Civic Theatre.

“I’ve been writing songs ever since I picked up a guitar,” he said. “The day after my first guitar lesson, I learned my first four chords, and then I wrote my first song.”

While performing was put on halt during the COVID-19 pandemic, Hager said he was able to focus more on his style and improving as a musician.

“When COVID hit was when I really started focusing more on my music, like who I am as an artist,” Hager said. “I was really able to figure that out.”

He said he doesn’t like putting music in genres because “music flows between them,” however, if he had to he would consider his style similar to indie pop.

When it comes to writing songs, Hager said it’s like therapy. It’s a way to not only express his own thoughts and feelings but also show others they are not alone in their emotions or experiences.

“For me, it’s for my mental health,” he said. “So I write to work through emotions and feelings that I can’t really come to terms with yet, and I’m hoping that other people will be able to relate with it.”

The process of auditioning for “American Idol” had “kickstarted my passion for (performing) again,” Hager said.

On March 20, when the episode of “American Idol,” featuring Hager airs, he will be having a watch party at the Foundry where he will play a short set before the show. The public is invited, Hager said.

He added that he has recently released two original singles on Spotify and will be releasing an EP on March 15.

Follow him on Instagram @fritz3music or search Fritz Hager on Spotify.