Drake Milligan from American Idol grew up idolising Elvis Presley — which is handy, because he even looks like him!
So much so that Milligan — who performed a cover of George Strait’s You Look So Good In Love during his audition — even played The King on CMT’s series Sun Records.
However, the judges on American Idol revealed how they were thankful that while singing on the show he DIDN’T try to sound like the legendary entertainer.
Milligan, 19, is from Fort Worth, TX, and started out in the acting game in 2014, when he appeared — again as Elvis — in a short film titled Nobody. Last year he then landed his role as the singer in Sun Records, and as a result also appeared as a guest on TV shows Sidewalks Entertainment and Fox and Friends.
However, he’s now trying to make a break into the music scene — after losing the ducktail hairdo that Elvis made famous. Drake first fell in love with Elvis after seeing an impersonator perform when he was seven, after earlier hearing songs by The King on the radio.
He told CMT: “I was about 7 and my family was eating at a restaurant when we saw my first Elvis impersonator by total accident. I had heard some Elvis songs on the radio.
“During Christmastime, they’d play ‘Blue Christmas,’ and I knew I liked his songs, but I didn’t know who it was singing them. I just knew I liked them. … I started reading, watching and just picking up everything I could about him.”
Blue Christmas is the first Elvis cover that he learned to play, but Milligan is also a huge fan of country legends including Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson.
Is Drake Milligan on Instagram?
Yup! A talented guitarist, Drake already has a growing social media following with presences on all social media platforms including Instagram, and Twitter.
So, y'all may be seeing a familiar face on American Idol tonight ? best check it out
— Drake Milligan (@DrakeMilligan) March 26, 2018
.@DrakeMilligan’s still got me all fired up. #AmericanIdol
— Luke Bryan (@LukeBryanOnline) March 26, 2018
Forget Elvis. In 20 years, Vegas will be lined with @DrakeMilligan impersonators! #AmericanIdol
— American Idol (@AmericanIdol) March 26, 2018
I see what u did there ?? https://t.co/owe1wumXxu
— Drake Milligan (@DrakeMilligan) March 26, 2018
At the time of writing he had around 10,000 followers on Instagram, where he revealed he was set to record some country tunes with producer Tony Brown soon.
Watch Drake’s American Idol audition below!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dQYMzJJPV4
American Idol airs Sundays and Mondays at 8/7c on ABC.