American Idol’s is not only a new husband, but a dad-to-be.
“Iv [sic] got big news harpies❤️❤️😘,” Harper, 16, wrote alongside a Wednesday, November 6, Facebook update announcing that he had tied the knot with his girlfriend, . Two days later, his mother, , revealed that the couple are expecting their first child together by sharing a selfie they took with a positive pregnancy test.
“Now Everybody has congratulated me on Triston and Paris getting married but to me that is old news but now I’m bout to be a ‘G Ma,’” Sullivan happily captioned the post, which Harper shared on his own Facebook page. Reed, for her part, has not addressed the pair’s relationship news via social media.
American Idol fans were introduced to Harper on season 22 of the ABC singing competition series, which aired earlier this year. The Alabama native wowed judges , and with his impressive audition, as well as the story of his difficult childhood.
“By the age of 11 years old, my mom was with my stepdad. He was getting very abusive. We had to leave McIntosh [Alabama], then everything, it went sideways, just like that,” he shared in a video package that aired on the show. “The lowest part of my life was when me and my mom had [become] homeless and were sleeping on the sidewalk. I had just turned 12.”
He added: “I never thought I’d be able to tell my story to American Idol, ever. It makes me happy just thinking about it.”
Following his audition performance, Harper earned high praise from the judges — as well as some constructive criticism about his singing technique. “Anything that you’re doing technically-wise singing, is ‘cause you’re 15,” Bryan, 48, stated. “If I could (have?) an afternoon with you and just say, ‘Don’t do that anymore,’ just like, ‘Don’t do those two things,’ and man, I mean, you’re just …” he continued before Perry, 40, finished his comment, stating, “You’re a shotgun. Just watch where you’re aiming it.”
The judges brought his mother in to receive the good news that he would be moving on to the Hollywood round of competition. He made his way through the competition to become one of the show’s top five contestants, but was eliminated alongside in May. He released his debut single, “H.O.P.E.,” later that month. ( was ultimately crowned as American Idol’s season 22 champion.)
In addition to posting about his time on American Idol, Harper has shared a handful of sweet photos with his now-wife via Instagram over the past few months. “Look at my beautiful Girl @reedgirl.101 she’s gorgeous ❤️❤️❤️❤️😊😊😘,” he captioned one snap of them posing in front of a Christmas-themed backdrop in March.
He wished Reed a Happy National Girlfriends Day with a heartfelt Instagram tribute on August 1, writing, “I love you so much @reedgirl.101❤️❤️❤️❤️. There may be a 1 in a million kind of girl, but your [sic] my 1 in a lifetime time kind of woman. I love you 25❤️😘.”
