5 things to know about Tylerite and current ‘American Idol’ contestant Fritz Hager III
Published 5:45 am Sunday, April 3, 2022
- Frits Hager III auditions for Round 1 of Hollywood Week: Genres. Hager will be moving on to round two.
A Tyler man has captivated the attention of many during his journey on a national singing competition.
Fritz Hager III will be on television again at 7 p.m. tonight as Hollywood Week continues on “American Idol.”
What to expect from tonight’s episode
Hager will compete in the Duets portion of Hollywood Week which will air tonight on ABC.
Hager’s duet partner will be Leah Marlene, who was the only other contestant in the indie/folk genre to move on after Week 1 of Hollywood.
Marlene is 20 years old from Normal, Illinois.
Like Hager, Marlene has been a fan of the show since she was a child and has always loved music.
Can Hager win over Luke Bryan?
During his initial audition, Hager received two “yes” votes from judges Katy Perry and Lionel Richie, which was enough for him to advance to the next round.
But Luke Bryan voted “no,” saying he felt Hager has “a little more growth ahead” of him.
“Right now I’m a no,” Bryan said after Hager’s audition, noting he needed some more work.
That “no” has intimidated Hager a little bit, but he is determined to win over the country artist.
“It’s kind of scary coming into Hollywood week, when Luke gave me a no,” Hager said ahead of his Week 1 Hollywood performance. “To be honest, I’m keenly aware that I am not the best singer here. I struggle a lot with my confidence. There’s a belief in me that’s missing …”
After Hager performed “Unsteady” by X Ambassadors in Hollywood, it appeared he was making an impression on Bryan.
“Wow, that was a big surprise,” Perry said immediately following Hager’s performance. After her comment, Bryan raised his eyebrows and nodded slightly.
Can that nod be interpreted as approval? Maybe, maybe not — but it seems like the 21-year-old Tylerite is making progress.
Shortly after the performance aired, Bryan tweeted that Hager and Marlene are “certainly originals” and he couldn’t wait to see them in the next round.
What does Hager do for work?
The then-Robert E. Lee High School graduate works as a security officer in Tyler. Hager explains his job as “sitting in a dark room for 12 hours” monitoring cameras.
“I do not want to be sitting in that room for the rest of my life,” Hager said. “I want to be on stage.”
Hager recently released a new EP which can be found on Spotify, Apple Music or anywhere listeners stream their music.
You can follow him on Instagram @fritz3music or search Fritz Hager on music streaming apps.
What is Hager’s family background?
Hager admits he struggles with his confidence as a singer. He said his mom being a lawyer and his dad a “military man,” becoming a singer was not something his parents expected.
Hager’s mother, Sarina Hager, runs Hager Law in Tyler. Her firm serves all of East Texas and she has been licensed to practice since 1993.
Hager’s father, Fritz Hager Jr., served on the Tyler ISD Board of Trustees for six years before attending law school and working at his wife’s law firm. Hager Jr. is a decorated veteran and pastor and chaplain. He also recently ran for political office of Smith County Commissioner Pct. 1.
The ‘American Idol’ contestant is the third of two Fritz Hagers before him, his father and also Fritz Hager Sr.
Hager III said he hopes to prove his worth to others and himself.
“I’m going to show them that I deserve to be here,” Hager previously said. “I’m going to show everyone, and hopefully I’ll show myself that I deserve to be here too.”
What happens if Hager moves on to the next phase?
After tonight and Monday night’s episodes, the top 24 contestants will be revealed.
Soon, public voting will begin where viewers can vote for their favorite contestant.
WAYS TO VOTE:
■ Text contestant’s number to 21523 (Hager’s number is 23)
■ Use the American Idol app
■ Go to http://americanidol.com/vote