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Existing somewhere in the crossroads between country, folk and alternative, Evan Honer has proven time and time again that he’s not only one of the premier songwriters out there today but also one of the most compelling artists, period. With two albums under his belt (and a third coming on September 19th), a laundry list of songs touching on important topics such as mental health and one of the most distinct voices in the genre, the Arizona native has cemented himself as a staple in today’s country-folk landscape. However, many didn’t view him in the same light early in his career. Famously, everyone’s “favorite” bro-country star and American Idol judge, Luke Bryan, told the “Take Me As I Come” singer to “stick to diving” (Honer is a former D1 swimmer/diver at California Baptist University) and essentially quit music after his audition on the show back in 2022. Honer would also receive a “no” from both Katy Perry and Lionel Richie that day. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Evan Honer (@evanhoner) Appearing on the podcast, The Thicket With Mike & Josh, Honer finally opened up about the infamous rejection from Bryan while also giving some more context to the audition itself. The 24-year-old singer/songwriter noted that he was barely able to make the audition in the first place due to his strict schedule as a D1 diver: “I had to beg my coach to let me miss. It was like one day of practices, but you can’t miss practices.” With the uncertainty on whether he was even going to make the audition, Honer ended up being one of the only American Idol hopefuls who traveled there alone. “One day, I drove up just by myself. I was the only one at American Idol that didn’t have somebody with them. I was just by myself in the nicest hotel I’ve ever been in.” Diving into the rejection from Bryan, Honer noted that he was caught off guard with the bluntness of his remark. “That caught me off guard. Honestly, I thought at least they were going to be nice. It honestly crushed me. That drive home, I was really trying to convince myself… I don’t need them. But then, back in my head, I was like, ‘Why did they say that?’ It’s a dagger.” Despite trying to shrug it off and play into the fact that many country fans nowadays don’t like the “Play It Again” singer, he admitted the rejection still ate at him for a long time. “It destroyed me for a little bit. Because as much as you want to say, ‘No, I don’t like Luke Bryan. He sucks anyway. Whatever.” It’s three people that are massive in the industry [who] told you that you probably shouldn’t do this. And I’m like, ‘You know what? They might be right.” Thankfully, Honer didn’t let the singer of lyrical masterpieces such as “Country Girl (Shake It For Me)” and “That’s My Kind of Night” discourage him from refining his craft. Closing out the segment, he said: “Thankfully, I just kept trying… it was the delusional thinking, maybe. I’m just like, ‘I don’t need them.’ I kept telling people that, but then I actually started to believe it.” Honestly, you need a little bit of that “delusional” thinking when you’re chasing a dream. When you consider the odds of being very successful, the struggle and hard work it’s going to require, the amount of talented people competing in the entertainment space, the logical and/or “safer” decision is obviously to pursue a more stable career path. Thank God he didn’t… Flashforward to today, and it looks like the “delusional thinking” paid off. Honer has 3.3 million monthly listeners on Spotify alone, a certified Gold record for his cover of Tyler Childers’ “Jersey Giant” and a strong touring audience that has expanded into Europe. Not too bad for a singer who “should have stuck to diving” if I say so myself. @thethicketmikeandjosh How wrong was Luke Bryan about @Evan Honer ♬ original sound – thethicketmikeandjosh Cue up “Mr. Meyers” while you’re here… it’s just a phenomenal example of Honer’s compelling songwriting: Evan Honer Tour Dates: August 16 – Dublin, IE August 18 – Glasgow, UK August 20 – Manchester, UK August 21 – London, UK August 23 – Lutterworth, UK August 25 – Amsterdamn, NL August 27-28 – Tonder, DK August 30 – Berlin, DEThe post Evan Honer Opens Up About The Time Luke Bryan Told Him To Quit Music Following ‘American Idol’ Audition: “It Honestly Crushed Me” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.