Leah Marlene, who placed third on American Idol season 20, will perform a concert in her hometown of Normal, Illinois, with her fellow Top 5 finalist Fritz Hager as the opening act. Leah, a 20-year-old musician, and Fritz, a 22-year-old musician from Tyler, Texas, became best friends when they were paired during the Hollywood Week duets round. They nicknamed themselves "Team Green" because they both wore green on the day that they began working together. With their incredible acoustic version of Bruno Mars' "Locked Out of Heaven," they wowed the American Idol judges Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, and Luke Bryan and their fellow finalists in the audience with their creative riffs and gorgeous harmonies.
Leah and Fritz continued to grow close throughout the American Idol competition. Some fans even speculated that they might be dating, but they viewed each other more like brother-and-sister than boyfriend-and-girlfriend. Through the American Idol competition, Leah and Fritz often appeared on each other's social media accounts. They remain best friends to this day.
In an Instagram post, Leah announced the exciting news that she is playing a hometown concert in Normal with Fritz as her opening act. In the video, which plays her hit single "Flowers" in the background, Leah appears at The Corn Crib stadium along with the mascot for the CornBelters, Normal's collegiate summer baseball team. She says that she is so excited to announce that on Saturday, August 27, she will be playing her "big hometown concert" right on the field. Leah revealed that the concert will be "a huge production" with a video wall and a full band. She encouraged her fans to bring the whole family because there will be a kids' zone and lots of food. She shared that there will also be VIP meet and greet options. Leah gushed that there will be "so much fun stuff that's gonna be happening."
Leah then announced that the first special guest opener for the show will be Fritz, saying, "I couldn't be more excited to have my best pal Fritz opening the show. He's gonna be playing an incredible set, and might hop on stage for a few songs with me as well." Leah told her fans to keep following their socials all the way through until the concert in August, and that they are announcing their second special guest next week. She said that she can't wait for everyone to know who it is. Leah ended the video by saying, "Let's goooo!" and high fiving the CornBelters mascot. On his own Instagram page, Fritz shared the promotional poster for the concert with the caption, "SUPER excited to announce that I will be coming to Normal to open for the greatest human in the world @leahmarlenemusic !!! Get your tickets THIS FRIDAY as soon as you can for this INCREDIBLE night of music SATURDAY AUGUST 27th!" Tickets for the concert go on sale on Friday, July 1 at 10 a.m. CST at www.leahmarlene.com.
Fans of American Idol season 20 will enjoy this concert that features two of the most talented singers, songwriters, and musicians in the history of the show. Not only did they get to fulfill their dreams of becoming famous musicians who have the opportunity to share their music with the world, but they gained the gift of lasting friendship with each other as well. With their impressive talent and artistry, Leah and Fritz are sure to have great success after American Idol.
Source: Leah Marlene/Instagram, Fritz Hager/Instagram