After gaining national attention on “American Idol,” Baylee Littrell is finding his voice again. 

The LSU online student and singer-songwriter is paving his way in the music industry after making it to the Top 14 in Season 23 of “American Idol.” From debuting on Broadway at age 13 to opening for the Backstreet Boys on the “DNA Tour,” Littrell has always been surrounded by music.

The singer knew music would be part of his life forever when he walked into his dad’s dressing room around the age of six. His father, Brian Littrell of the Backstreet Boys, was preparing to head on stage to play a show on the “Unbreakable Tour” when his son tried on his outfit for the night. The oversized robe, to match the boxing ring arranged on stage, was dragging along the floor. 

“That’s kind of when the seed was planted in my brain,” Littrell said. “I guess we’re going to do this, and it just kind of fell into place after that.”

Littrell was introduced to music at a young age, but it took years to get where he is now. Landing a lead role in the Broadway musical “Disaster!” at 13 years old was an early look into show business. Though he enjoyed his time on stage, he yearned for a way to connect deeper with the audience. After realizing a music career would be more fitting, he went to his parents to talk it over.

“My dad was like ‘Work on your voice, work on your songwriting and get these things in order, and then we’ll talk,’” Littrell said. “I come back a year or two later, and they’re like, ‘Alright, you’re ready.’”

The family headed to Nashville to allow Littrell an opportunity to practice writing, recording and eventually performing his music. Confidence in songwriting did not come naturally, Littrell said. He felt he had to perfect his lyrics before singing them in front of a crowd, and at first it was a struggle; however, he learned to finish a song in one sitting, and the ideas began flowing.

“It made writing like a button you can’t turn off in your mind,” Littrell said. 

Between being on the road with his father and performing his own shows, Littrell was always too far from home to attend in-person school. Hungry for knowledge, he chose to pursue a higher education, despite his already established career in music. Once his decision to study sports management was clear, LSU felt like an obvious choice. 

“I wanted to be prepared for a world without music as well,” Littrell said. 

Littrell released his debut single “Boxes” in 2019, months before COVID-19. Later that year, he also released his first album “770-Country.” As the pandemic kept everyone in their homes, Littrell was no longer able to play shows. 

He crafted his lyrics throughout the pandemic, eager to perform again. Since then, he’s found a unique sound through incorporating his own faith, love and personal struggles in his songwriting, Littrell said.

“All the songs I never thought people were going to like, they like,” Littrell said. 

Littrell’s trust in his songwriting skills have grown so much since his teenage years. He even took the risk of auditioning with an original song on “American Idol.” When a casting director reached out for him to audition, it was the last thing he ever thought he’d do. 

“I got to a point where I was struggling in my career, and I was like this isn’t working,” Littrell said. “I wanted to stop, and I thought, all right, this is your last big push.”

Auditioning for the show with music already released put Littrell in a unique situation. Performing his original song “Waiting On Myself To Die” in the first audition allowed him to stand out and receive impressive reactions from judges Carrie Underwood, Lionel Richie and Blake Shelton. 

“It was that moment of, I need to show them that I’m my own person,” Littrell said. “I’m not trying to emulate anybody else. There’s no influence driving me, but just the want to succeed. And so I thought, all right, let’s go in there with an emotional, original song that people can relate to.”

Growing up with a famous father figure comes with a lot of pressure. When the judges found out his father is a member of the Backstreet Boys, they asked him to perform “Hey Jesus” with Littrell, and nerves overtook his body. The two sang together, creating an emotional performance, which all three judges would say yes to. 

“He’s believed in me when I’ve had zero belief for myself,” Littrell said. “It’s crazy to see, but when we looked in each other’s eyes like we started to cry, because he looked at me like ‘He did it’. Somebody finally believes other than us.”

Littrell continued throughout the show until the judges narrowed the contestants down to the Top 14. From receiving advice from successful musicians to performing across the country, Littrell’s experience on the show has revived his career. 

“It has helped me now build an independent fan base, which is great, and then for the first time, I can actually go play a tour and headline it, and not be opening for someone,” Littrell said. 

“American Idol” was just the beginning for Littrell’s music career. He looks forward to dropping new singles throughout the year and will eventually release an album that encapsulates how his sound has evolved since his debut. Littrell plans to make a name for himself in the music industry, despite sharing a last name with a Backstreet Boy, though that will always remain a part of him.

“You really kind of have to run towards it and be proud of it,” Littrell said. “As soon as you come to peace with it, and you don’t resent it, you move forward, and it makes you more of your own person.”