If at first you don't succeed, pick yourself up and try again. Only, this time, show your true colors.

That's what Adam Sanders did. The young singer auditioned for American Idol's 12th season and received a golden ticket, only to be cut from the Top 50 during Hollywood Week. In the years that passed, the homosexual latino boy struggled with the backlash his short stint on Idol created. Trolls took to social media to attack the artist for his weight, his sexuality and his performance on the show.

“It killed me inside,” he said in his Idol confessional. “It killed me almost as much as the people who were telling me that I should kill myself.”

But instead of giving up, Sanders worked on his craft, became more comfortable with himself and decided take another stab at Idol stardom. Only this time, he went to his audition wearing full makeup, a wig, a dress and heels, and addressed himself as Ada Vox.

After wowing the judges with a stunning rendition of The Animals' "House of the Rising Sun," Lionel Richie gave Vox some words of encouragement, along with his "yes." “We’ve had a lot of artists come on here, talented, but a bit confused,” he explained. “What you are giving us is a clear understanding of who you are, coming in with an amazing amount of talent.”

Watch the full audition below.

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