When I first met Clark Beckham, I knew him — not the way most people do, as the runner up on American Idol Season 14, but from his unusual, undeniable Instagram posts. He probably belongs among the top 50 male singers on the planet, ok fine, but that only makes his interest in and knack for dissonance and harmonic complexity all the more compelling.
So what struck me in our conversation wasn’t the TV story. It was everything that came after: the reckoning, the humility, and the slow reassembling of a creative life once the cameras go dark.
Clark grew up just outside of Nashville, busking on the street, playing music in church, chasing a dream that was big enough to get him onto a national stage—and real enough to leave a mark when the spotlight moved on. He’s got a voice that can stop a room, as you hear in this episode. But more than that, he’s got an uncommon ability to speak honestly about what happens when the dream doesn’t go the way you thought it would… and what you do next.
This episode is about that turning point. We talk about the high-stakes world of Idol—what it felt like in the final moments, the industry doors that opened (and slammed shut), and the hard-won lessons Clark learned in the aftermath. It’s also about something quieter: how faith, disappointment, and persistence shaped who he is now—not just as an artist, but as a person.
Our conversation touched on a lot of things: ambition versus authenticity, the temptation of fast success, and the importance of putting your head down and doing the work, even when no one’s watching. Clark was honest, thoughtful, funny — I left this one feeling grateful for the reminder that creative work isn’t a sprint. It’s a long, winding road.
Stick around for a stunning live performance of his original song “Wolves.” My wife and baby daughter and I were just off-camera watching the performance. Everyone but Zuzu cried. Sheesh.
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