The truth about his past

Talent shows are one of the most useful platforms to gain recognition, popularity, and a fan base, and if things go well, maybe a pro contract as well. Nevertheless, while most of the people who participate in these TV competitions are usually completely unknown, Drake Milligan was a rarity on his own as he had a little bit of experience in the entertainment industry before stepping foot on the “America’s Got Talent” stage in season 17. .

As one of the most charismatic and talented performers of his season, Drake Milligan stole hearts everywhere and was placed pretty well in the show’s finale. However, now that it’s been a while, many fans of the show are wondering who Drake is and how much experience he had before debuting in “America’s Got Talent”.

So was he fooling everyone, or was his past good and inspiring? Stay here to learn more about Drake Milligan’s backstory, his career from its inception to rising to national fame, and all the things that make him such a memorable “America’s Got Talent” contestant.

What’s going on with Drake Milligan?

Season 17 of “America’s Got Talent” brought many surprises and great moments to the audience, especially when it comes to Drake Milligan. When he took the stage at the show with his guitar and band, everyone knew they were in for a good moment, and that’s exactly what he delivered with his original country music and captivating stage presence.

Nevertheless, while Drake was open about his past as an Elvis impersonator, not many people knew that his “America’s Got Talent” debut wasn’t the first time he’d taken part in a talent show. Coincidentally, Drake had already auditioned for “American Idol” in 2018 and did so well that the show’s audience expected to see him later in the competition. That time never came, as Drake quit the show before the match even started. The reason behind his departure was personal, as he thought he was “not quite ready for that platform yet,” as he stated on his Instagram earlier.

Regardless of the audience’s surprise at discovering Drake’s sting in “American Idol,” that fact alone doesn’t go against the rules of “America’s Got Talent.” That said, previous talent show experience played in Drake’s favor as it made him feel more comfortable in such an important scenario.

Where is he now?

Although Drake Milligan didn’t become the Season 17 winner of “America’s Got Talent”, his performance on the show was successful enough to bring him popularity, new fans and great career opportunities for him.

Initially, his first album “Dallas/Fort Worth” was released in September 2023, which featured original songs he performed on “America’s Got Talent” such as “Kiss Goodbye All Night”. The album peaked at number one on iTunes and was greatly celebrated by his fans, even earning him a nomination at the Country Music Awards for the music video of “Sounds Like Something I’d Do”.

Drake’s success also extends to live concerts, even reflecting on the growing audience of his live shows when they were still broadcast in late 2022: ‘As we would leave (the TV show) and go back out on the road, and every time the shows kept getting bigger and bigger, and they still are,” he said Forbes. Along with his band, Drake has performed at major venues such as “The Kelly Clarkson Show” and legendary live country music bar Billy Bob’s Texas.

All in all, there’s no denying that “America’s Got Talent” played a big part in Drake Milligan’s rising popularity, but his talent and charisma made it all possible.

Get started

Drake Milligan’s love of music started very early in his life. Born in Mansfield, Texas, young Drake has always been influenced by country music legends such as Merle Haggard, though the turning point in his life was when he was seven years old, when he saw an Elvis Presley impersonator perform and became completely captivated by it. .

From that moment on, Drake not only became a huge Elvis fan but also started pretending to be The King from head to toe despite his young age. It was also his interest in Elvis that led to one 10 years old Drake to learn the guitar and take singing lessons, and to keep that up for several years into his teens, to the point where he turned his performances from a novice level to a professional level.

After building his Elvis impersonation skills for so many years, Drake landed his first professional on-screen role in 2014 at the age of 16, portraying a young Elvis in the biographical film “Nobody”, and which focused on the formative personal relations of the king.

Early career

Following his stint on the big screen, Draken starred in the 2017 TV series “Sun Records”, based on the musical “Million Dollar Quartet”, centered in the legendary studio of the same name, which is also credited with Elvis’ early success . The series lasted eight episodes, but it was a great opportunity for Drake to share the screen with the likes of Chad Michael Murray and Kevin Fonteyne.

No, but really, who should we call to secure a second season of #SunRecords?⠀https://t.co/ipnOt9yy6F⠀ pic.twitter.com/dw4T9JAu9t

— NKD MAG (@NKDmag) April 30, 2017

In 2018, Drake auditioned for “American Idol,” in which he recalled his background as an Elvis impersonator, but admitted that he was more interested in becoming a country musician and showing his true self to the world, not behind a costume: “I feel like it’s my calling,” he said in front of cameras.

After singing George Strait’s “You Look So Good In Love”, Drake was highly praised by the judges and immediately received his gold pass to the next stage of the show. However, he later dropped out of the competition and decided to move to Nashville instead, insisting on focusing on his music first before taking that first step in his career.

Toad in “America’s Got Talent”

Although Drake’s decision not to compete on ‘American Idol’ was a risky decision, it ultimately paid off for him. While in Nashville, he formed his live band and even dropped his first original music in 2021, starting with the single “Cowgirl For Christmas”, followed by his eponymous extended play (EP) a few months later. The latter was released under the label Broken bow recordswhich Drake signed in July of that year.

Just one year later, Drake auditioned for “America’s Got Talent” with his original song “Sounds Like Something I’d Do” from his EP, earning instant critical acclaim from judges and audiences alike. For his second appearance on the show, Drake sang his song “Kiss Goodbye All Night” which not only earned him compliments for his talent and stage presence. but also for the fact that he had come back to the show despite his increasing off-screen popularity: “The fact that that happened, and you’re still coming back to compete in this competition, you have my absolute respect,” as Simon Cowell said that nightconfessed that he was worried about Drake falling out.

For the final night, Drake sang Jon Pardi’s “Last Night Lonely” in a duet with a compatriot. That performance wasn’t enough to win the match, but Drake was already becoming a star by that point.

Life after the show

Drake Milligan’s career changed dramatically after he competed on “America’s Got Talent”. It’s not just the fact that his music charted all over the charts, but also that his rising popularity earned him a place in the country music industry. Today, Drake is not only a sought-after act at country music festivals in the US, but also in the United States United Kingdom.

This is a huge achievement for Drake, especially given his beginnings as an impersonator, who slowly but surely found his way until he became an artist with his own identity.

While it’s unclear what other future projects he already has in the works, the success of Drake Milligan’s eponymous EP and “Dallas/Fort Worth” album speaks volumes about the bright future ahead.