Pat Johnson, 26, of Stratford, Camden County, auditioned for the singing competition — now in its 23rd season and eighth since being rebooted in 2018 — in an episode that airs at 8 p.m. Sunday on ABC. It streams on Hulu on Monday. 

MORE: Joey Graziadei returns to 'The Bachelor' to offer dating advice to show's new star

"It was an opportunity of a lifetime," Johnson said Tuesday. "It's an opportunity that doesn't feel real until you live it, and I'm glad that I'm able to just be present in this moment. I advise everyone to tune in starting on March 9, because there is some of the craziest talent that you will ever see."

Johnson said he began exploring his various interests, including performing, while attending Sterling High School in Somerdale.

"During my time in high school, I played sports and I was into music, so I was kind of like the theater kid, and also played sports," Johnson said. "I didn't want to entrench myself into one world. So I was kind of all over the place. But I had a lot of fun doing it."

Johnson works as a full-time case manager for a nonprofit disability employment agency, helping people hone their job skills and find work in inclusive environments. But he still finds time to pursue his passion for music, alongside his band, FLORACENE — "Don't ask me what it means," Johnson joked about the name — which he started with some friends. They often play at venues in Philadelphia, which Johnson describes as "our city," including at his favorite spot, Kung Fu Necktie in Fishtown.

"It's smaller and intimate," Johnson said of Kung Fu Necktie. "It's got this amazing sound and amazing vibes in a good part of the city. It's just one of my favorite places to play."

Johnson said he's been a lifelong "American Idol" fan, and after several attempts, he finally was invited to audition for the show in October — shortly before his birthday — in New York City. So, he hopped on a train ride to perform for judges Lionel Richie, Luke Bryan and Carrie Underwood, who won "American Idol" in 2005 and has returned two decades later to take over a judging spot vacated by Katy Perry. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by pat (@patjohnsonmusic)

"American Idol" fans must wait until Sunday to find out whether Johnson got the coveted "Golden Ticket" to advance to the next round of competition. Last season, contestants who made it through auditions moved on to the cutthroat "Hollywood Week," and from there, the top 24 headed to Disney's Aulani resort in Hawaii to sing for America's vote. Johnson said he'll be posting about his reality TV journey on Instagram and TikTok. 

During a phone interview, Johnson described how watching "American Idol" influenced his interest in performing, his "pretty tough decision" on the song to sing at his audition, and why the Eagles' 2025 Super Bowl win meant even more to him than the last one. 

This interview has been edited for length and clarity. 

PHILLYVOICE: How'd you become interested in singing and performing?

PAT JOHNSON: "American Idol" is what propelled me into wanting to be a singer. I saw artists like Chris Daughtry, Bo Bice, Constantine Maroulis. We don't really have music in my family's DNA at all. I'm kind of the only one that really performs it, at least. So coming up, I didn't really have, like, an uncle who played guitar or something of that nature. So, I've watched a lot of "American Idol." I was inspired by a lot of the stories and a lot of the people that went through the same thing that I'm going through 10 years later. It's funny how it comes full circle. And then I always played in a band, ever since I was a very young kid, with friends from my school. "Idol," it's a solo thing, but I do everything with my band.

PV: What style of music does your band, FLORACENE, play? 

JOHNSON: It's kind of just a mix of all five of (the band members') musical journeys and backgrounds. It's indie rock, alternative rock. A lot of people will listen to us, and give us the comparison of Kings of Leon or early Coldplay, things of that nature.

PV: How did the "American Idol" audition opportunity come about?

JOHNSON: When ("American Idol") used to go and visit all these different cities, my mom actually took me to an "American Idol" open call audition back in 2015, and I didn't get through. And then after that, I started just sending in tapes every year or every other year, not really hearing anything, and then I told myself, this is the final time I'm gonna do this. And I sent in a tape, and I got a call a couple days later and that's how it all started.

PV: Describe the process of choosing your song for the audition. Was it a hard choice?

JOHNSON: I overanalyze almost anything that I do. So that was, you can imagine, a pretty tough decision to make. But my heart always leaned toward doing something that I wrote. Because I was like, you know what, you're not guaranteed a "Golden Ticket." ... So if you have one shot, you have to make it stick. The best thing that I could do is put my best foot forward, and I think doing a song that I wrote would be me doing that. So I did end up doing a song that I wrote, and I'm very happy that I got to display that. 

PV: What was it like performing in front of the judges, Lionel Richie, Luke Bryan and now Carrie Underwood?

JOHNSON: I mean, they're all living legends, right? Even if you don't watch "American Idol," you know who those three are. So it was a lot of pressure, but I was able to kind of keep my energy at bay and keep myself at bay. I always go by the motto, don't get too high, don't get too low, just try to stay even keel. And I went in with that mindset. Had I kind of spiraled before, I think it would show a lot more differently. I was able to control the nerves a bit, but it didn't feel real at the same time. It felt like you're just in front of these figures that aren't even real human beings. And then you see how personable they are. It's a great opportunity to have.

PV: Did you also get the chance to chat with "American Idol" host Ryan Seacrest?

JOHNSON: That was like the biggest thing I was so excited for. "American Idol," that's his thing. For him to be a staple of the show and to never leave the show — every single season of "American Idol," he's been there. I think that that's such a unique thing to have, such a rarity to have. I was so excited to meet Ryan as well. I did get to chat with him a bit, tell him about my family and stuff. 

PV: What was your favorite part overall of the audition process?

JOHNSON: Without giving anything away, the best part was just being able to be there. I never thought a guy from South Jersey, who works a full-time job, would have an opportunity to put that aside for a little bit to get a shot like this. Just the whole experience, I can't even think of one pinnacle moment, it was all just a high.

PV: Since going on "Idol," I'm sure you've had to keep it a secret from friends and family for a while before the season airs. But what has their reaction been like once you could share this with them?

JOHNSON: I've had so much support. Every single person that's in my life knows that music is what I am. So they were just excited to ride the journey with me and support me in it. But, everybody is super happy for me. And I couldn't ask for a better support system during something like this.

PV: Since you're from the Philly area, and I saw you were celebrating the Eagles' Super Bowl victory on Instagram, I have to ask, what did their win mean to you?

JOHNSON: I'm a big sports guy. I feel like sometimes people think like you're one way, like you're into music and the arts, or you're into sports, but I was always leaning into both. I am a much better watcher than I am an athlete, so I've always watched football and baseball, they're my top two. I live and die by the Phillies; I live and die by the Eagles, so being able to witness two Super Bowl wins in my lifetime was absolutely great. I also just had an uncle that passed away a couple of days ago. I was just very excited that he was able to see that last Super Bowl. So this Super Bowl means a little bit more to me than the other one.