Qaasim Middleton, a student at The New School of Jazz & Contemporary Music, is currently making waves as a Top Eight contestant in the 14th season of American Idol.
19 year old Middleton was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY to a family of performers and musicians. Most notably, his dad, Keith “Wild Child” Middleton, starred in the New York cast of STOMP.
Although Middleton’s principal instrument is voice, he is a multi-instrumentalist. In 2006, at the age of ten, he was featured as a percussionist in the HBO Family documentary The Music in Me: Children’s Recitals From Classical to Latin, Jazz to Zydeco.
Middleton’s first major break came in 2007 when he was cast as the guitar player in Nickelodeon’s mockumentary style musical comedy series The Naked Brothers Band. He went on to attend the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, a.k.a. the “Fame” school, as a vocal major.
Middleton is known for his commanding, full-bodied performance style, not to mention his impeccable rhythmic sensibility and penchant for effortless vocal gymnastics. He was a favorite from the first round of auditions, impressing judges Keith Urban, Jennifer Lopez, and Harry Connick Jr. with his rendition of Stevie Wonder’s “Sir Duke”.
On the March 19 episode it was revealed that he had received the lowest number of votes and he was afforded the opportunity to sing for the coveted judges “save”, of which there is one per season. After performing a gut-splitting rendition of The Beatles’ “Come Together”, which ended with him literally dropping the mic, the vote was unanimous – Qaasim would receive the save. He has not been in the bottom three since.
Follow Qaasim’s journey on American Idol, FOX Wednesday’s @ 8:00, and don’t forget to vote!