Berklee Valencia Alum Stuns American Idol Judges on His Journey to the Top 14
Filo MM '24 wows American Idol judges.
Image courtesy of Disney
After blowing away judges Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie, and Carrie Underwood with his powerful rendition of Otis Redding’s “Try a Little Tenderness” during his American Idol audition, Filo Ebid MM '24 earned one of only three coveted Platinum Tickets, granting him a direct pass to Hollywood and bypassing the competition’s first elimination phase.
Last week, Ebid made waves again, taking to the stage with his own unique take on The Jackson 5’s “Who’s Lovin’ You,” filmed in front of a live crowd in Hawaii. His performance was met with thunderous applause and glowing praise from the judges.
“You’re the only person I know that can hit a note, and while you’re holding that note, you give us three different voices,” said an astonished Richie.
“Your voice is ridiculous," added Underwood, who praised Ebid’s ability to take listeners on a journey whenever he takes the stage.
Watch Ebid’s powerful performance below:
Before stunning audiences on national television, Ebid completed his master’s degree in Contemporary Performance (Production Concentration) at Berklee Valencia in 2024.
During this time, he brought to life his recently released debut single “Find My Intention,” a track recorded and mixed in Berklee Valencia’s professional-grade studio, with collaboration from fellow students and in-house label Disrupción Records.
Reflecting on the experience, Ebid said, “I'm so honored to have gotten the chance to work with these incredibly talented musicians.”
To create this introspective ballad, he worked closely with Berklee Valencia Assistant Professor Viktorija Pilatovic, in private voice lessons and songwriting class.
“Beyond being an extraordinary singer,” says Pilatovic, “Filo is a generous, thoughtful, and empathetic human being. He has so much to say musically, and I have no doubt he will do great things.”
This potential was evident during his year spent at Berklee Valencia, where he immersed himself in countless collaborative performances.
Forming part of the Middle Eastern, Flamenco, and Song Writing Ensembles, he performed at the annual innovation conference INOCON, the Berklee Showcase as part of the Global Career Summit, and Un Lago de Conciertos, where he premiered his first-ever original composition.
He also performed in “La Mano Ganadora,” “Queens,” and “Styx” as part of the concert series Berklee a Les Arts—a series of multidisciplinary concerts that take place in the iconic Palau de Les Arts in the City of Arts and Sciences, Valencia.
One of these performances led to the serendipitous meeting with two-time Grammy-nominated pianist Jim Brickman. After witnessing Ebid’s performance, Brickman suggested that he audition for American Idol, leading to the biggest jump in Ebid’s career to date.
Ebid has the entire Berklee Valencia community behind him as he takes on this once-in-a-lifetime journey.
Watch him perform Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U” at Berklee a Les Arts: