Arthur Gunn

Although born in Kathmandu, Nepal, as "Dibesh Pokharel" on October 24, 1997, vocalist Arthur Gunn later relocated to Wichita, Kansas, where he discovered American roots music and began playing local coffeehouses as an up-and-coming singer/songwriter. Inspired by bluegrass, folk, country, and the musical traditions of his home country, he released his debut album, the Nepali-language Grahan, in 2018, followed by KHOJ one year later. He then auditioned for American Idol during the latter half of 2019 and became one of the show's most popular contestants during its 2020 season, as well as the first Nepali native to appear on American Idol. Performing songs like Bob Marley's "Is This Love?," Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Have You Ever Seen the Rain?," and Bon Iver's "Hey, Ma," Gunn advanced all the way to the show's finale and ultimately finished the season in second place, behind winner Just Sam. He then used his time on American Idol as a springboard for his solo career. Self-Titled, a seven-song record produced by Angelo Rodriguez, was released in July 2020, with Jalai Mai arriving that same year. A new single, "Save Me Now," was released in 2021.