Trent Harmon

Biography

Trenton William Harmon (born October 8, 1990) is an American country music singer who won the fifteenth season of American Idol on April 7, 2016.

Early life and education

Harmon was born in Amory, Mississippi to Cindy and Randy Harmon and is the second cousin of Richard Harmon, who is an actor. His mother taught him to sing "Amazing Grace" when he was five and he grew up singing in church. His family owns a farm and a yard-to-table restaurant, Longhorn, where he was a waiter. He credits his upbringing on the farm and working in the restaurant for his strong work ethic.
Trent Harmon sang and performed in a number of musicals while attending Amory High School. He attended the University of Arkansas at Monticello leading on-campus worship services. He first learned to play the piano and progressed to playing drums and guitar.

Music career

Harmon's first major audition was in May 2014, when a close friend convinced him to try out for The Voice in New Orleans. After singing "Stay with Me" by Sam Smith for a casting director, he was one of 300 open audition contestants chosen to advance from a field of 32,000. The show flew him to Los Angeles and he sang "Jealous" by Nick Jonas. In October 2014 he flew to Los Angeles again for several weeks to be filmed for the show although no judge selected him and his audition did not air. Harmon later said that the rejection prepared him for his 'Idol' phase of his career.

American Idol

Harmon auditioned for American Idol in Little Rock, Arkansas, in August 2015. He told the judges about growing up on a farm and sang "Unaware", a r&b song by Allen Stone. Harmon was the first r&b singer shown to be accepted by the judges for the season. Later in the season it was revealed that Harmon kept a leather-bound journal writing down every comment and criticism the judges gave him.
During Hollywood week he was encouraged to quit when diagnosed with mono and sequestered in a bathroom for most of that week, to keep the contagious disease from spreading. He impressed the judges in an 'Idol' first when he performed the group round as a soloist. During "Idol Grammy Hits" week Harmon was coached to bring the "strange faces he makes when he sings" under control. Judge Harry Connick Jr. noted that Harmon lost an "exaggerated jaw vibrato" which eventually caused him to temporarily lose his singing voice.
Harmon won the fifteenth season of American Idol on April 7, 2016. His coronation single, "Falling", was written by American Idol judge Keith Urban with Dallas Davidson and Brett James. For winning the title, Harmon received a Ford car and a recording contract with Big Machine Records. La'Porsha Renae was named runner-up. Harmon parted ways with Big Machine in May 2019.

Post-Idol

After winning American Idol Harmon was signed by Big Machine Records. His first album has country and indie soul influences. Big Machine's Scott Borchetta said that it would be like a country album Justin Timberlake would make. In a post-show interview Harmon was asked his thoughts on Mississippi's anti-LGBT "Religious Liberty" legislation (HB1523) which allows people and businesses to deny service to LGBT people. He recounted that in the restaurant business, he served whomever walked in the door: "I think that you should treat all people equally and respectfully, and that's what I do, and that's what I'm going to continue to do no matter what law is passed."
In December 2016, Harmon released his self-titled EP which features his Top 30 hit "There's a Girl" and four other tracks. During 2017, Harmon experienced a personal breakup, his record label folding, and its parent company's restructuring leaving his contract in limbo. By the end of 2016, he and BMLG resolved their issues.
In February 2018, Harmon premiered the single "You Got 'Em All×You Got 'Em All2018 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1You Got 'Em All2There’s A Girl3Hold On4Her5First Five Minutes6Money's On You7'Cause I Do8On Paper9My Somebody10Falling (Remix)11Chandelier", the title track from his debut album, released on May 18, 2018. On September 6, 2019, he and Kathleen Couch married. In February 2021, he released a new single dedicated to her, "She's My Heaven". They welcomed their daughter in 2023.
On May 30, 2025, he released a Christian music EP, Scars & Sins.