Keyla Richardson is a Pensacola-born gospel singer and music teacher whose powerhouse voice has captivated millions on American Idol Season 24.

 Raised in the church choirs of her hometown, she first turned heads in 2019 as a Top 4 finalist on BET's Sunday Best, then scored a #1 hit on Billboard's Gospel Airplay chart with the title track from her 2020 EP So Good.

Her Idol audition, a stirring rendition of P!nk's "Glitter in the Air," brought Luke Bryan to tears and earned a unanimous Golden Ticket. Since then she has stunned audiences week after week, with Lionel Richie calling her work some of the best he has ever seen on the show. A devoted single mother to her son Drew and a longtime teacher at Life Shifting Learning Academy, Richardson is Pensacola's pride and one of the most exciting voices in music today.