American Idol Contestant Reveals God’s Supernatural Deliverance From Crippling Fear

Ashley Tankard always dreamed of performing on “American Idol,” using her God-given voice to entertain and inspire.

But Tankard also had a major barrier to overcome: crippling anxiety. In fact, she spent years fighting fear, and it impacted virtually every facet of her life. From the inability to speak out in school as a child to the paralyzing worries she faced in her professional life, everything was tainted.

All of that changed in 2025, though, when Tankard diligently listened to God’s call for her life. Still mired in worry, she had long felt the Lord prompting her to share her testimony in book form. She had started the process years ago, but her call to complete the project only intensified as 2025 came to a close.

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Tankard, who recently released a book about her journey, “Fear Didn’t Win,” knew the Lord wanted her to complete the project before Jan. 1, so she set out to do just that. Still unsure how her story would end, she continued on a journey of trust amid uncertainty.

“I first heard the Lord speak to me about this book when I was 18 years old, and…I did not have…an intimate and close relationship with Him back then, but…I actually knew His voice,” she said. “So I knew that was Him telling me to write this book or start this book, and I never really knew the end result of what the book would be.”

Watch her story:

One of the hallmarks of Tankard’s story is her passion for music. In the years before she felt called to write her book, Tankard sought to live out her dream of auditioning for “American Idol.” At age 15, she recalled trying out for the very first time—an experience that ended in rejection.

“For seven years, I auditioned for the producers multiple times with this fear and this thought of…’I don’t know how I’m gonna even get in front of the judges if I make it,’” Tankard said. “I was still auditioning because it was just a dream that was in my heart for a very long time. So I auditioned for seven years straight, multiple times every single season.” When Tankard was 22, she auditioned for the 15th time and finally earned the right to perform for the “American Idol” judges. Soon, fear—her familiar foe—came sweeping through, with Tankard worried not only about flying to the audition but also about standing in front of some of the biggest acts in music.