Season 22 of the popular American singing competition “American Idol” premieres on Sunday, Feb. 18. While people across the country are anticipating the start of the hit show, those in Oxford are especially excited for the upcoming season for one reason in particular: University of Mississippi student and Oxford native Isabella Mercier, a junior general business major, is going to be competing.

Due to legal restrictions, Mercier is limited to what she can share about her experience on “American Idol” so far, but she shed a little light on what she has encountered thus far.

“I’ve met the coolest people and learned so much throughout the process. I have never stepped out of my comfort zone much before going on ‘American Idol,’ so singing for Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan was the craziest thing I’ve ever done,” Mercier said. “My first concert was Katy Perry, so singing for her was a very full circle moment for me.”

While Mercier is thoroughly enjoying her time at UM, going to college was not in her original plan. Instead, she planned on moving to Nashville, Tenn., “…but then COVID happened, and I got nervous and went to Ole Miss instead.”

The 21-year-old has had a passion for singing for as long as she can remember.

“I have been singing ever since I was a toddler. I’d walk around the house using a lint roller or a hairbrush as a mic and sing around the house,” Mercier said.

Despite having always loved singing, Mercier shared that she did not always have the confidence to sing publicly, let alone on national television.

“I was such a shy kid, though, so if you asked me when I was younger if I’d ever audition for ‘American Idol,’ I would have said ‘absolutely not’” Mercier said.

Mercier had taken a few voice lessons throughout her life but never had a consistent vocal coach. That was up until she reached the age of 16 when she went to Memphis to meet with vocal coach Bob Westbrook.

Westbrook has coached many successful artists, including Justin Timberlake. Mercier stated that Westbrook was her “most influential coach.”

“(He) forced me to get out of my comfort zone and sing for everyone in the building each time I went, which actually helped me get over my stage fright,” Mercier said.

Prior to being coached by Westbrook, Mercier was in a band in seventh grade with four other students. Together, this band was able to perform two times at The Lyric, right in the heart of Oxford. She later joined the choir in ninth grade at Oxford High School.

By the time Mercier was a senior in high school, she had been taking trips to Nashville, Tenn., where she met with songwriters and producers.

“(I) wrote and produced a song, but I never released it,” Mercier said.

Though she has yet to officially release music, her friends and family were overjoyed at the news that Mercier would share her voice on “American Idol.” Linzi Burk, a close friend of Mercier, expressed her excitement for her friend’s appearance on “Idol.

“Isabella is the most hard working, genuine, kind-hearted, amazing person I know,” Burk said. “She never fails to make others feel loved and puts everyone before herself. I know she will continue to succeed in every aspect of life, and I feel honored to call her my friend.”

Alongside Mercier’s friends, her family shared the same excitement. Her parents, Marc and Janine Mercier, shared some of their enthusiasm.

“We’re so proud of her for putting herself out there and showcasing her talent. We hope this experience will ignite her passion to pursue it as a career,” they said.

In addition to being a full-time student, Mercier is an active member of Kappa Delta sorority at UM. Many of her sorority sisters shared great enthusiasm as they count down the days to watch their friend on television.

One member of the sorority, senior law studies major Claire Rhoa, expressed how thrilled she is to see her sorority sister sing on “American Idol.”

“We are all so excited to watch Isabella go on this journey. She is extremely talented and is going to do big things,” Rhoa said.