Will This San Angelo Singer/Songwriter be the Next American Idol?

NASHVILLE, TN — A singer/songwriter from the west Texas city of San Angelo will be featured on the next season of American Idol, scheduled to start Sunday, March 11 at 7 p.m.

Kyra Hunter announced Friday that she will be featured on #TheNextIdol. “Things got a little crazy ya’ll,” she said. “Life led me to the exact spot where many of my idols like Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood began their journey.”

She encouraged her fans and hometown to watch American Idol on Sunday, 7 p.m. Central Daylight Time on ABC to “follow the journey.”

American Idol, once the anchor primetime musical talent audition show on Fox, was purchased by ABC. Although the popular show has a new network home, Ryan Seacrest returns as its host.

The new American Idol will have a different crop of judges, though. This year, Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie will provide constructive criticism to those auditioning. The trio kicked off the Idol competition in August 2017 in Portland, Oregon. Then the Idol bus took them to 23 cities across the country, ending up in Orlando, Florida.

It was in Nashville that the Idol judges met San Angelo native Kyra Hunter, daughter of San Angelo tire guy Gus Constancio and wife Vanessa. "Hunter" is her stage name. Her real name is Kyra Constancio and her music career is a family affair.

WATCH This is a 2014 original "Don't Look Down." The video is produced by Ken Caillat.
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She grew up in Wall, near San Angelo, where her mom is an English teacher. Kyra credits her mom with instilling in her the passion to write.

“I always loved writing. My mom was an English teacher and I just loved words. It was always my favorite subject,” Hunter said.

WATCH: In February 2016, Kyra's original "Who You Are." This video was directed by San Angelo's filmmaker Cody Broadway.
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Kyra left San Angelo for Nashville five years ago to follow her dreams. She attended Belmont University there and majored in songwriting and the music business.

Kyra has already recorded several songs. Her latest is “Boys Like You” released last month (available on iTunes).

Will auditioning on the new America Idol be Kyra’s lucky break in the music business?

Dad Gus said he is not just hopeful. He is prayerful.

WATCH Vintage Kyra. Here is dad Gus and Kyra singing "Ready, Set, Go" in 2009:
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