“American Idol” contestant Thunderstorm Artis is coming home to O’ahu for performances at the Blue Note Hawai’i. He recently competed in “American Idol: Season 23,” where he was one of the top five contestants.
“I'm really looking forward to being able to come back home,” he told Aloha State Daily in early June. “For me, it feels like a celebration, even though I didn’t win the show. To be able to come back and celebrate with my family, and then the family and ‘ohana that’s everyone on the island, that to me is just so special.”
There shows start at 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Friday, June 27. Tickets cost $45 - $55.
Artis, his wife Faith, and their two boys are based in Nashville, Tennessee, but his mother and sisters still live in Hawaiʻi. He visits multiple times a year, he said.
With “American Idol” now a few weeks behind him, Artis reflected on what made the experience special. After being eliminated, Artis joined “American Idol” for one more performance at the show’s grand finale, where he joined The War and Treaty for a moving rendition of “Hey Driver.”
“One of my favorite moments in the show was definitely getting to work with James Taylor,” he said. “That was an amazing experience. But then also, the ending with The War and Treaty. I'm going on tour with those guys actually in the fall now — coming off that show.”
Artis will join The War and Treaty for a national tour starting in October in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida and ending in November in Grass Valley, California.
Another special moment was the song he sang for his wife, he said. Artis performed a soulful version of “Faithfully,” by Journey that was dedicated to her, as well as some original music.
This up-coming concert will be an opportunity to talk story and share the “American Idol” journey with fans, he said.
Since the televised voice competition, Artis released the single “I Just Want You to Know,” which launched on Spotify on May 18. The song was written after he got home from being on the road for “American Idol.”
“I wrote this song for my wife,” he told ASD. “One of my biggest inspirations is my wife is a stay-at-home mom most of the time, as I'm working. … There’s a lot of times, she carries so much weight and so much responsibility for the family while I'm off touring, or whatever that looks like. But when I get home, I always want her to know: 'I'm in this with you. You're not in it alone. And we’re a team.’ ”
Artis comes from a musical family. His mother is a singer and his father, Ron Artis, worked with Michael Jackson on the song “Thriller.” The duo moved to Hawai’i in 1991. Artis is one of eleven kids. He was born in Kailua and grew up in Hale’iwa where the family had a shop on the front street and played music between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. every day.
Growing up, Artis used to tell his father that he wanted to be just like him.
“My dad would always say … ‘No, I want you to be better than me, and I want you to carry things further than I have,’” he said. “It's been a dream of mine to take that torch a little further, and hopefully my boys will take it further than I have.”
While he and the family are on O’ahu, Artis is looking forward to a chance to get in the ocean and order a spicy ahi poke bowl.
“And then I can't wait to get some shave ice from me and my boys,” he said. “It's gonna be great. Matsumoto [Shave Ice], man, that's my go-to spot.”
Follow Artis on Instagram, Spotify or YouTube.
Katie Helland can be reached at katie@alohastatedaily.com.
