How Shane Dawson Launched Catie Turner’s Career More Than ‘American Idol’ Ever Did
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Catie Turner is probably best remembered for being the quirky singer-songwriter on Season 16 of American Idol in 2018. She was a massive fan-favorite on the show and her Top 7 elimination came as a shock. But it was her connection to controversial YouTuber Shane Dawson that launched her career after American Idol.
Catie Turner Became A Frontrunner On ‘American Idol’ In 2018
From the second Catie entered the American Idol audition room, the entire world fell in love with her. She was full of adrenaline singing her original song “21st Century Machine.” Katy Perry called her “a spectacular songwriter.” The judges praised her for her unique perspective on modern technology and social media and sent her to Hollywood.
SEE ALSO: 10 BEST ORIGINAL SONGS IN ‘AMERICAN IDOL’ AUDITIONS
Once in Hollywood, Catie struck up a great friendship with fellow contestant Zach D’Onofrio. Though Zach was cut during the first round, Catie had a clear path to the Top 24. The 17-year-old was unstoppable in the competition.
Catie blew everyone away with her rendition of “Take Me to Church” by Hozier which helped send her to the Top 10.
When Did She Get Eliminated?
Fans of American Idol were sure that Catie would make it to the finale and have a shot at winning the prize. However, in the Top 7 during her performance of “Manic Monday” by The Bangles, Catie forgot the lyrics. She recovered quickly and added extra energy into the song.
“Catie you have been in this competition since day one and you have not had one glitch so what just happened to you is ok darling,” Luke Bryan said after the performance. “It happens.”
Lionel Richie applauded Catie for how well she recovered after forgetting the lyrics. That night, Catie was shockingly eliminated from the competition along with fellow contestant Jurnee.
How Shane Dawson Helped Launch Catie Turner’s Career After ‘American Idol’
Sometimes when a contestant thrives on American Idol, the show does not do much afterward to help that contestant further their career. But in 2019, Catie’s life changed when her song “Prom Queen” was featured in the trailer for The Beautiful World of Jeffree Star. The documentary created by Shane starts out with Catie singing “Prom Queen.”
The song completely captivated the 13.9 million viewers that watched the trailer. Shane was a big fan of Catie’s when she was on American Idol. The pair struck up a bond online before he asked her if he could use “Prom Queen” for his trailer. The song now has over 16 million streams on Spotify.
Why Did She End Up In The Hospital?
Almost immediately after the success of her song “Prom Queen” Catie had a brief hospital stay. She posted a photo wearing a hospital gown and was hooked up to an IV bag. Fans took to the comments to express their concerns for the singer who later tweeted that she had a kidney infection. She was given morphine to cope with the pain.
Where Is Catie Turner Now?
Catie and Zach are happily dating and share glimpses of their adorable relationship on social media. They have American Idol to thank for their blossoming love story.
We mention how Catie and Zach first got together in the What’s Hot Video below. They are one of the many couples who formed during Season 16 of American Idol.
Catie signed a deal with Atlantic Records and released her song “One Day” in November 2020. She followed up the successful release with a song called “Play God” in January 2021. She just celebrated her 21st birthday with another song called “Hide and Seek.”
SEE ALSO: 10 COUPLES THAT HOOKED UP ON TALENT SHOWS — ARE THEY STILL TOGETHER? [VIDEO]
Though it is not clear how much Catie’s net worth is as estimates range anywhere from $250,000 to $16 million, she certainly has quite a tremendous career after “Prom Queen” went viral.
