Indiana University freshman, Meggie Iyer, earned a Golden Ticket to Hollywood on the Season 22 premiere of American Idol.
(Brittany Iriarte Disney/Eric McCandless)
Meggie Iyer, a freshman at Indiana University, may be a few performances away from achieving her dream of becoming a performer. The Carmel native received a ‘golden ticket’ to Hollywood on the Season 22 premiere of American Idol Sunday.
“I've been dreaming about auditioning for the show since I was a little girl because I grew up watching the show,” Iyer said. “I didn't think I'd ever be able to do it.”
Not only did Iyer make it through to the Hollywood round of competition, but she was told by the show’s judge, Katy Perry, that she was “Top Ten” material.
“To hear someone that I have grown up listening to tell me that she saw me being successful in this competition, it was amazing to hear,” Iyer said. “It just shows hard work does pay off.”
Iyer is majoring in Finance and Accounting at the IU Kelley School of Business. She is originally from Carmel and graduated from Carmel High School in 2023.
“We're kind of in the middle of nowhere. The Midwest, it's not like a coast where there's like a lot of music activity,” Iyer said. “I want people to take away that, no matter where you are, what your location is, you can always chase your dreams and go after whatever it is that you want to do.”
She added: “Coming from Carmel, there's not a huge music scene there like there would be in LA or New York. But I hope people … know that no matter where you are -- how many times you've been told ‘no’ -- anything is possible.”
Iyer has been singing as long as she can remember.
“My parents told me that I'd come home from preschool recital practice, and I would just sing nonstop,” Iyer said. “It really has always been a passion of mine. And I've been doing it for my entire life. I want to continue doing it for my entire life in whatever form that might take.”
Iyer sang, “I Can’t Make You Love Me” by Bonnie Raitt. It is the same song that she sang in the 2023 Midtown’s Got Talent Competition in Carmel, where she won the teen division.
“I really do love that song,” Iyer said. “I think it showcases my vocal ability. I decided on it and worked on it a lot.”
In fact, she’s been trying out for the show for three years.
“I started auditioning for the show basically the second I turned 15,” Iyer said.
American Idol contestants go through several rounds of auditions before finally being able to audition in front of the three judges. Iyer said seeing stars like Luke Bryan, Lionel Ritchie and Katy Perry in person was a surreal experience.
“I actually was closing my eyes when I was singing because I was so nervous. The thoughts were racing in my head, just like, ‘Are they gonna like my singing? Are they gonna hate it?’” Iyer said. “I remember when I approached them, I was just like, ‘Wow, like, they're so tall.’ I felt really intimidated.”
Iyer had to keep her audition a secret for four months before the show finally aired. But the responses she got were overwhelmingly positive, especially from her friends and family, she said.
“They were so excited and happy for me because they've seen this passion for music grow since I was a really, really little girl,” Iyer said. “To see that it finally paid off, I think, was as amazing for them as it was for me.”
Several students on Indiana University’s campus are rooting for Iyer in the competition. An Instagram post about Iyer on a Barstool Sports affiliate account, Hoosier Chicks, has over 6,000 likes on Instagram.
“Being able to have such a supportive audience, especially here in Bloomington, I think that was amazing for me,” Iyer said. “I'm really, really grateful for it.”
