BY MICHELLE KEY
PUBLISHER
ALABAMA — Whether you’re shouting “War Eagle” or “Roll Tide,” Alabama recording artist Trevon Williams hopes his newest song will give Alabamians something they can agree on.
Williams, who performs under the name Trew The Star, released his new single, “My Home in Alabama,” on Oct. 9. The song celebrates the people, traditions and childhood memories that make Alabama home, regardless of where listeners live or which football team they support.
“My whole purpose for writing this song was to give the entire state of Alabama a song that we could love, hold on to and be proud of together,” Williams said. “I wanted something that could represent all of us, no matter what part of the state you come from or what team you root for.”
Williams, who appeared on Season 24 of ABC’s “American Idol” earlier this year, said he wanted to create something personal that would also resonate with people throughout the state.
Much of the inspiration came from his childhood and time spent with extended family in Alberta, Alabama.
Among his favorite memories are Christmas and Thanksgiving gatherings at his aunt’s house, where family members cooked, played cards, joked with one another and spent time outdoors.
“All of my great-aunts would be cooking, and everybody would be joking around, playing cards, eating and spending time together,” Williams said. “We would play basketball outside in the yard, I’d cut grass with my uncle and I’d play with the little kids in the family.”
Those experiences helped shape the message of his latest release.
“Those memories really stick with me because they represent what home feels like,” he said. “It isn’t necessarily one big moment —it is all those little moments with family that you carry with you as you get older.”
Although Williams drew from his own experiences, he wanted listeners to recognize something familiar in the song, whether they grew up in a large Alabama city or a small rural community.
He said family, traditions, football and pride in one’s hometown are experiences that can bring people together across the state.
That includes one of the most recognizable divisions in Alabama — the rivalry between Auburn University and the University of Alabama.
“That was actually one of the biggest purposes of the song,” Williams said. “I root for both teams, so I never wanted this to be an Alabama song or an Auburn song — I wanted it to be an Alabama song.”
He hopes the song will find a place at sporting events, family gatherings and community celebrations throughout Alabama.
“Whether you say “War Eagle” or “Roll Tide,” you should still be able to hear this record and feel like it belongs to you,” he said. “We have one of the biggest rivalries in sports, and that is part of the culture here, but there are so many things that connect us beyond football.”
Williams gained national exposure earlier this year when he auditioned for “American Idol,” performing Sam Cooke’s “Nothing Can Change This Love” for judges Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan.
His audition earned three yes votes and a golden ticket to Hollywood. He advanced through the competition before being eliminated ahead of the Top 30.
Williams said the experience helped him grow musically and introduced his work to a larger audience.
“American Idol definitely changed me because it gave me a chance to perform on a much bigger platform and learn more about myself as an artist,” he said.
Since appearing on the show, Williams has continued writing, recording and performing while exploring a variety of musical styles.
Although his musical background includes R&B and soul, he said he also enjoys country, pop and other genres.
“I want to be an artist who can move through different genres while still sounding like myself,” he said.
Williams said releasing “My Home in Alabama” at this point in his career was an opportunity to share another side of his music while honoring the state that helped shape him.
“At this point in my career, I don’t want to just make music based on what people expect me to do; I want to make music that means something to me,” he said.
His plans include performing the song throughout Alabama and continuing to release new music.
For listeners in Auburn and Opelika, Williams said he hopes the song reflects their own experiences and memories rather than a single person’s interpretation of life in Alabama.
“I want people there to feel like, ‘This is our song too.’ That is really the entire point,” he said.
As he looks toward building a career that reaches beyond his home state, Williams said Alabama will remain an important part of his identity.
“No matter how far I go, I want Alabama to always be a part of my story,” he said.
Search “Alabama” by Trew The Star on your favorite music platform to listen to the song.
