On season 22 of American Idol, Sam Kelly Cohen, also known as Kayko, wowed the judges with his impromptu audition. His performance went viral, and the rest was history. He ended up making it to the top 10 of his season, an immense accomplishment, and North Broward is privileged to call him an alumnus. The Eagle Gazette had the honor of sitting down with Sam for an interview to reflect on his journey from student to performer.
Sam graduated from North Broward in 2018 and attributes much of his success in music and in life to his education. When asked how North Broward shaped him, he shared, “North Broward pushes you to go that extra mile in critical thinking. Their curriculum asks you to have an individual opinion and then defend it, which I find really helpful.”
While at NBPS, Sam spent a lot of his time in the arts, performing in school musicals and plays.
“It wasn’t like every single one was my favorite, but just doing a lot of something gave me perspective on what I wanted to take into adult life…” His experiences at North Broward later gave him the confidence to step onto some of the greatest stages in America.
Recently, North Broward welcomed Sam and his band back on campus for a performance, a full-circle moment for him. He commented,“I felt very honored because I remember my time at North Broward, as not that long ago. Coming back and being the adult is kind of strange, but I actually feel like I’ve done stuff in my life to warrant it.”
When asked what advice he would give to current students, Sam emphasized the importance of taking risks and enjoying the journey, not just the final destination. “I would just say to try. I’m very much an overthinker, but if you have a path you think is even remotely cool, follow it and try to find the fun right now. Don’t let another day go by without trying to find the fun.”
Sam also shared some anecdotes from his time on American Idol. He described Hollywood Week as “kind of like TikTok in real life, you just keep scrolling until someone really stands out. What that taught me was how even if you’re amazing, it doesn’t mean anything if you aren’t original or can’t stand out.” That lesson continues to guide his career as he writes and performs his own music across the country.
Looking back, Sam admits he hasn’t changed much since his high school days. “Every day I’m trying to go back to the person I was in high school and get some of that optimism,” he said. “The world’s been tough, but I’m always trying to find the joy.”
Fans can go ahead and find that joy on stage, since Sam will be performing live with his band on December 5th at the Gray Box Theater, in Fort Lauderdale, a show he promises will be “honestly a really sick show; the lights and stuff we have are pretty cool.” You can stream all of his music on Spotify and Apple Music under his stage name KAYKO and follow his journey through all of his social media platforms under the account name @kaykomusic.
From classrooms and theater rehearsals at NBPS to the national spotlight on American Idol, Sam’s journey is a reminder of the power of creativity, resilience, and optimism. For North Broward students today, his story proves that with passion and persistence, you never know where your next chapter may take you.