He is on a high-speed train to Stardom.
Queens' self-taught autism metro musician has won his shots on the big stage in the latest season of “American Idol.”
Shandan Turner is often seen at New York City metro stations decorated with black blazers, and during rush hour the Beatles “You Must Hide Your Love” and “Have You Seen Rain?” of Credence Clearwater Revival.
Turner, 29, turned into music during some of the most difficult times of his life. He learned how to play the guitar at age 13, and first performed on the subway at age 16 after his family was evacuated during Hurricane Sandy.
“I fell in love with it and I've been doing it ever since,” he told the Post.
A struggling with depression, Turner grew up mostly rock-away in an orthodox Jewish family, but he was instilled in a love of music. He remembers that his neighbor ran extension cords across his family's home, leaving the lights and fridge on when the electricity went off.
His grandfather was a canter in the synagogue and sang opera to him as a baby. And his father, guitarist for over 40 years, introduced AC/DC, Led Zeppelin and The Beatles, whom he lists many of his influences.
At age 7, Turner took the stage at his uncle's wedding, sang Hebrew songs for the crowd, and at 10am he auditioned and was accepted into the popular Yeshiva Boys Choir, which he played for three years.
Since then, Turner has written about 50 original songs and has learned hundreds of other songs. Events, open microphones, venues.
“Over the years, I've built a repertoire of over 500 cover songs… I'm basically like a living jukebox,” he said.
From his start on the B and Q lines in Brooklyn, he now has Columbus Circle and Union Square and At Rockefeller Center Station.
However, basking is taxable and dangerous.
Three teenagers in January I tried to steal Turner's hintsand he had to wrestletter a $20 bill from the person who snatched it from his jar.
Turner performs between $50 and $200 a day. However, it is difficult to achieve the goal. There's a day when he shifted 12 hours underground and survived with slices of Red Bull and Dollar pizza. He lived in his car for a short time.
But Turner was well versed in the struggle and knew he had to continue.
“I had to keep fighting for what I loved,” he said.
Over the summer he decided to apply. “American Idol” And soon he learned that he was one of hundreds of lucky people out of the tens of thousands of applicants to perform in front of the judge.
“I was very excited to be auditioning in front of Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan,” he said. “They are just icons in their field. The fact that I had to play in front of them was amazing.”
The world can't find the results of Turner's audition The first episode of season 23 The ABC singing competition show airs Sunday at 8pm, but he looks forward to tune with his friends.
“I hope that auditions will lead to success as a musician. I hope that I can release an album. I hope that I can go on tour,” Turner said.
“I hope I can get a reward for doing that.”
