‘Star Search’: Who is Bear Bailey? Get to Know the Singer That Brought Jelly Roll to Tears

Bear Bailey emerged as one of the standout vocalists during the opening week of Star Search, earning praise from the judges and adoration from the audience for his soulful tone and emotional delivery. His performance resonated with both the judges and the viewers at home, marking him as a serious contender in the competition.

As viewers enter the second week of Star Search, Bear Bailey stands out as one of the frontrunners thanks to a moving performance in which he thanked the Lord for helping him through hard times. His honesty and message resonated deeply with judge Jelly Roll, who was visibly moved by the moment.

Scroll down to get to know Bear Bailey and find out what happened on his Star Search debut.

Kit Karzen/Netflix

What happened during Bear Bailey’s Star Search performance?

During the second half of the two-part Star Search premiere, the show closed on an emotional note as contestant Bear Bailey took the stage. Performing “Hard Fought Hallelujah” by Brandon Lake and Jelly Roll, Bailey commanded the room from the first note, prompting Jelly Roll to rise to his feet almost instantly.

Giving a heartfelt and honest performance, the Southern singer’s raw, soulful delivery immediately resonated with both the judges and the audience, creating one of the night’s most memorable moments and setting a high bar for the rest of the competition.

As a result of Bear’s performance, Jelly Roll was left sobbing, unable to speak due to the quality of Bear’s performance. “What I just seen was a room full of people that might not have ever felt it before, but that is called the Holy Spirit of God,” said the country crooner of the lookalike contestant. “You took my song and made it yours.”

“On behalf of me, Teddy Swims, and Post Malone, welcome to the white trash face tattoo club,” said Jelly Roll, referencing Bear’s face ink.

As a result of his soulful and powerful performance, Bear not only won his round but received the highest scores thus far on the show. Bear received 4.6 stars out of five from the judges and the live voting audience.

“He changed me from a sinner to a saint in a matter of two minutes,” said host Anthony Anderson in an interview with Jimmy Fallon.

Where is Bear Bailey from?

A country and R&B soul singer from St. Francisville, Louisiana, Bear Bailey was raised inside one of Louisiana’s toughest state prisons, where his parents worked.

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He is currently based in Los Angeles, California.

Before Star Search, what was Bear Bailey famous for?

Bear became known as the viral “gas station singer” with millions of followers on TikTok. He performed soul-stirring cover songs, including various gospel songs, country classics, and rock ballads, inside a local gas station in Louisiana.

He now wants to turn the online attention into a respected music career.

@bearbailey1

This one right here is special. One of my favorite songs and one of the originals that started it all for me — Til Summer Comes Around by Keith Urban. I hope it puts a smile on y’all’s faces today. Happy Holidays from my neighborhood to yours. ❤️✨ Hashtags: #TilSummerComesAround #KeithUrban #fyp #art #godisgood

♬ original sound – Bear Bailey

What is Bear Bailey’s message to his fans?

He is spreading a message of gratitude for all he has in the world. “What I have today is: be thankful, be grateful, have a heart of gratitude. I say posture your heart into a position of gratitude. Stay up, stay blessed,” said the singer on a social media post.

“And don’t forget to vote for me this week on Star Search on Netflix.”

Star Search, Season 1, Tuesdays & Wednesdays, 9/8c, Netflix