Contemporary Christian recording artist Moriah Peters auditioned for "American Idol" in 2010, but after facing scrutiny and criticism about her faith, Peters was cut from the competition by the judges who suggested that she go experience life and "kiss a boy" before considering a music career.
Peters' testimony recently debuted on an "I Am Second" video, where she shared her struggles with remaining bold about her Christian beliefs while trying to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. She recalls the moment her audition ended.
"They complimented my voice and my look but they told me, 'You're trying to be too perfect. You need to go into the world and make some mistakes,'" Peters said. "'Go kiss someone then you'll feel sexier.'"
She shared with the "American Idol" judges, Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, Kara DioGuardi and Avril Lavigne, that she was saving her first kiss for her wedding day.
"I was very open about my faith and just excited to share that I was saving my first kiss and in the end when I made it through the few months of audition and I got to the celebrity panel, those were things that they criticized," Peters said.
The singer explains that the moment "American Idol" host Ryan Seacrest ambushed her with the camera crew after leaving the audition room, she wanted to break down, but gathered the strength to say, "God has opened the doors up until this point and now he's closed them and I'm not going to question that."
But it was not long before she realized God had other plans for her.
"Really from the time I had stepped out of the auditioning room to going down an elevator to exiting the building was the amount of time it took for God to open the next door and do a complete miracle," Peters said.
She encountered a man who was at the auditions and had just heard the interview she gave Seacrest. He told her he wanted her to meet someone who could help start her music career and soon after she signed with a recording label.
Now, she is married and impacting faith-based music. Last year, her debut album's hit single, "I Choose Jesus," ranked No. 11 on the Billboard Christian song chart and currently, she is featured on the Restart Tour with the Newsboys and for King and Country.
