Adopted Worship Leader Isaiah Moore Headed to Hollywood on ‘American Idol’
Isaiah Moore, a 22-year-old worship leader from Oneonta, Alabama, is headed to Hollywood after earning his “golden ticket” on American Idol season 23.
Moore, who works at Redeemer Community Church in downtown Oneonta, shared more about his story during his audition with judges Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie and season four winner Carrie Underwood. The season premiered on ABC on March 2, 2025, with the first episode garnering 5.91 million viewers.
“I have two brothers, one of them lives with me,” Moore shared. “When he was three months old, me and him were put into the court system and we were about to go into foster care.”
Moore shared that his mom was addicted to drugs and was incarcerated multiple times. “But by God’s grace and all His blessings, my maw maw and paw paw took us in, and they raised us the best that they could,” Moore divulged, adding,
“That’s amazing,” Underwood replied. “Praise the Lord.”
Moore dedicated his audition to his brother. “He’s been having a hard time the past year. You know, I worry about him. I love him,” Moore said. “He was supposed to be here today; I know that he loves me. I just don’t want him going down the same path that my mom went down.”
“So, I’m singing for to him,” Moore added. He auditioned with Luke Combs’ “Where the Wild Things Are.”
You can watch Moore’s audition below:
After Moore’s audition, Underwood asked him to bring his family in as they delivered the good news that he would move on to the next stage of the competition in Hollywood.
Moore introduced his family and began to tear up as he gave his grandmother a hug. “This is my maw maw here; you’re gonna make me cry,” he said. “She put everything that she had into me all those years.”
Moore’s story is inspiring, and his grandparents must be commended for their hard work and sacrifice in raising Isaiah and his brother.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, in 2021 there are 2.33 million children (3.2% of all U.S. children) who were being raised by their grandmother, and 1.3 million being raised by their grandfather. All told, 2.74 million children in the U.S. are being brought up by a grandparent.
Indeed, Vice President J.D. Vance was raised by his grandmother because of his mother’s drug addiction; his story was featured in the book and 2020 movie Hillbilly Elegy.
Photo Credit: U.S. Department of Labor
We congratulate Isaiah Moore on his successful American Idol audition and thank him for his service as a worship pastor. We also acknowledge and honor his grandparents’ support, knowing that without their sacrifice and love, millions of people would probably never have been blessed with his talents.
If you’re parenting your grandchildren, please know that we at Focus on the Family are here to help, and we’re only one phone call away. Check out our available articles and resources below.
To speak with a family help specialist or request resources, please call us at 1-800-A-FAMILY (232-6459).
Currently, the United States has more than 391,000 children in foster care. Focus on the Family’s Wait No More program helps inspire families to become involved in the lives of waiting kids, whether through adoption or in a different way. Learn more about Wait No More.
Related articles and resources:
Counseling Consultation & Referrals
Help for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren
Raising Your Children’s Children
Setting Boundaries with Your Adult Children: Six Steps to Hope and Healing for Struggling Parents
What You Can Do to Help Kids in Foster Care
Changing the World Through Adoption
Resources: Foster Care & Adoption
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Photo from YouTube.
