Trevor Douglas Haueisein stood on stage at Tulips FTW, feeling a wave of emotion as his fans sang the Happy Birthday song to him.
Jan. 19 just so happened to be his 26th birthday and the day his debut EP “Just Peachy” dropped under his new artist name, TRVR?.
Nearly a decade ago, he performed as Trevor Douglas on American Idol season 14.
Though he was eliminated, he said not winning the competition was actually beneficial for his personal growth.
As a teenager, he used to have an inflated ego, and winning a competition like Idol had probably averted the worst. Trevor admitted he lacked life experiences during that time, which hindered his ability to write meaningful songs. So, renaming himself to TRVR? was a step toward signaling his transition from a young artist into a more mature and seasoned artist.
The American Idol experience taught Trevor the importance of resilience and self-reliance, adopting a sink-or-swim mentality.
This experience helped him grow and develop a sense of determination. Now, he takes charge of his music production, and he said he now feels a significant improvement in his production skills.
Trevor grew up in Fort Worth and every school day, his mother drove him to Dallas, where he attended Booker T. Washington, a high school for performing and visual arts. She also drove him to various opportunities to showcase his talent in front of audiences, which landed him the privilege to open up for The Jonas Brothers and Jason Derulo.He expressed gratitude for the support of his family and friends, acknowledging that it has allowed him to pursue a life centered around his passions and dreams.The Tulips show marked a significant milestone in his career as he sold a record-breaking 130 tickets.
Friends, family, and loyal fans all came to support him in this milestone.
“Just Peachy” is a collection of pop songs that are upbeat, fun, and danceable with lyrics about faking smiles, feeling overwhelmed, and struggling with bad days, as evident in songs like “NO! GOOD! VERY BAD DAY!”
“If you ever ask anyone how they are doing and they answer by saying ‘just peachy,’ they are lying,” Trevor said laughing.
Much of the subjects sung in the EP are about navigating the complexities of life and trying to maintain a facade of happiness while internally grappling with one’s true emotions.
Trevor’s recent breakup inspired songs like “Better off alone?” in “Just Peachy.” He said he hoped that his single status would prove to be a new transformative and powerful life experience.
Trevor collaborated with friends to write most of the collections of songs in the EP, except for “GONE,” which he wrote all by himself. The song’s chorus says, “I wish I could know why I am feeling this way ‘cause I am losing my head, and losing my faith.”
“I’m learning to embrace the full spectrum of my emotions,” Trevor said. “It may feel unusual, as men aren’t typically expected to show that side.”
Feeling low is something he constantly struggles with and it feels like it is hard for his friends and family to understand what he is going through as an aspiring artist. The breakup has also inspired the creation of eight unreleased songs, so fans may look forward to slower songs.
During his performance at Tulips, he premiered two of these tracks, titled “Tattoos” and “See You Again.”
Trevor said his next collection of songs will have zero features from other artists, so his upcoming music will be much more personal and vulnerable.
