17-Year-Old Slater Nalley’s Touching Song “Traces Of You” Leaves The Room Breathless

A 17-year-old student named Slater Nalley stepped onto the American Idol stage with just his guitar, but by the end of his performance, he had the judges in tears. Instead of choosing a popular cover, Nalley took a bold step and performed his own song, Traces of You. The Atlanta native not only showcased his skills as a singer and guitarist but also proved himself as a songwriter with a powerful story to tell.

Nalley walked onto the American Idol stage with an unexpected guest—his high school English teacher, Mrs. Davis. At first, the judges seemed curious, but the reason for her presence soon became clear.

Mrs. Davis introduced Nalley and shared his story, along with one that was deeply personal to her. Nearly ten years ago, she lost her son, Carter Davis. Nalley wrote “Traces of You,” a heartfelt tribute that honored the life of a young man gone too soon.

“I have a special student of mine, Slater Nalley, and he wrote a song for my son who was killed eight years ago,” said Mrs. Davis shared. “Slater had heard the story about my son. […] I had written a poem and the second year that I taught him I asked, ‘Would you mind looking at the poem? I would love to see what your thoughts are and how you turn a poem into a song.’ And so, two weeks later, he did, and that’s the song he’s going to sing today.”

With his acoustic guitar in hand, Nalley introduced his song as “the deepest thing I have ever written.” As soon as he began to play, the room fell silent, captivated by the raw emotion in his voice. Every note carried a deep sincerity, drawing the audience in and holding them spellbound.

By the time he finished, Carrie Underwood was in tears, clearly moved by the performance. “I couldn’t imagine you doing that any better,” she said. Lionel Richie recognized the bluesy soul in Nalley’s delivery, while Luke Bryan encouraged him to keep singing straight from the heart. It was a moment no one in the room would forget.