BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Season 18 of American Idol is unlike any season before. Contestants are performing from the backyards, judges are watching from their own homes, and there are no audiences to cheer the singers on.

Sunday, May 17, the next American Idol will be crowned, and there's a chance that a Bakersfield man could win it all. Dillon James sat down with 23ABC to talk about his journey to the top 7, what it's like to perform on a national platform from his backyard in Bakersfield, and why he's using his newfound fame to raise awareness about mental health issues.

You can vote for Bakersfield's Dillon James this Sunday here.