Ricky Moyer goes from Levittown to 'American Idol.' How to watch Neshaminy grad's journey

It’s not uncommon for a parent to see the best in their son, but for Ricky Moyer, it was his mom's belief in him that made all the difference in his pursuit of music. It eventually led him to the American Idol stage.

“My biggest inspiration is my mom,” said the Levittown musician whose audition will be televised on ABC’s "American Idol" on Sunday, March 24. It airs at 8 p.m.

“She has pushed me to do things I never expected to do, not just with music, but in general. In life, she’s pushed me to go outside my limits and I may have not appreciated it at the time, but I really appreciate all that push now.”

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Ricky Moyer’s road to ‘American Idol’

Moyer, who graduated from Neshaminy High School in 2019, said his love of music started in middle school where he performed in musicals. But it wasn’t until his sophomore year in high school, when Moyer sat down in front of a piano and started singing, that his passion for becoming a musician came alive.

He has since received his bachelor’s degree in music from Baldwin Wallace University’s Conservatory of Performing Arts in Ohio; and more recently, Moyer has been working on writing original songs in hopes of releasing his first E.P.

His American Idol journey began last May.

Moyer had been at a crossroads between music and a career in theater, when he decided to apply for the show.

“I was coming home from a theater audition in New York in May, and I was feeling a little deflated and a little bit lost, and an ad came on for Idol and I just sent in a video I had from my sophomore year of college,” he said.

A few weeks passed before Moyer received an email for a callback, leading to a Zoom interview with the show’s producers and then an invitation to fly out to Los Angeles in October for his audition in front of the judges.

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The trip involved three 12-hour days of filming between interviews, confessionals, b-roll and the audition, Moyer said. But all the while, what could’ve easily been a nerve-wracking experience, was fueled by the energy and support he felt meeting the other contestants.

“I was very nervous. But after talking to other artists, I was like, ‘Oh, I found my people.’ Everyone was so supportive and talented,” said Moyer, who later added, “I really gained so much love and respect for music artists in general. Getting to hear their stories and where they’ve come from and what they’ve been through is really incredible.”

Does Ricky Moyer get his ticket to Hollywood?

By contract, Moyer could not disclose the outcome of his audition, so American Idol fans will have to tune in. But whether he moves onto the next round or not, Moyer said being on the show boosted his confidence and taught him to believe in himself and his music.

“I’m so grateful for this experience,” he said.

“And it’s been lifechanging, getting to see the judges, getting to meet all these people and really finding myself as an artist.”

Need to catch up on season 22? Episodes of American Idol are available to stream on ABC.com, Hulu, Sling and You Tube TV.

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Reporter Michele Haddon covers small business, economic development, community revitalization, art and culture for The Intelligencer and Bucks County Courier Times at PhillyBurbs.com. Please considering supporting local journalism with a subscription.

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Ricky Moyer takes his music to American Idol stage