Before Al Calderon was releasing his own pop music or competing on The X Factor USA, he was part of a Broadway cast that looks increasingly remarkable in hindsight.
As a teenager, Calderon originated the role of Eddie in the 2008 Broadway musical 13, performing alongside a young Ariana Grande, Elizabeth Gillies and several other rising performers. Calderon can be heard on the original Broadway cast recording, particularly on songs including “Hey Kendra” and the delightfully mischievous “Bad Bad News.”
That could have been an impressive career highlight all by itself. Instead, it became the beginning of a career that would eventually take Calderon from Broadway to reality television, film and television acting, and a growing catalog of his own contemporary pop music.
A Teenage Broadway Star
In 2008, Calderon originated the role of Eddie in the Broadway production of Jason Robert Brown's 13. The musical became particularly notable for featuring an entirely teenage cast and band.
And what a cast it turned out to be.
Alongside Calderon were several young performers who would later build major careers, including Ariana Grande and Elizabeth Gillies. Calderon can also be heard on the show's original Broadway cast recording.
Two songs featuring him have remained among the most popular recordings associated with his name: “Hey Kendra” and “Bad Bad News.” The latter gives Eddie and his friends one of their biggest musical moments in the show.
Calderon continued working in theater after 13, including the Off-Broadway musical The Burnt Part Boys. His performance as Pete earned him a nomination for a Tina Award for Best Actor.
Al Calderon Takes on The X Factor
A much larger television audience discovered Calderon in 2013 when he auditioned for the third season of The X Factor USA.
At the time, the 19-year-old was working as a restaurant host on Long Island, where singing “Happy Birthday” to customers was considerably more common than singing before thousands of people.
That changed rather dramatically.
For his audition, Calderon performed Hall and Oates' “Sara Smile” in front of judges Simon Cowell, Demi Lovato, Kelly Rowland and Paulina Rubio. His smooth voice, youthful charisma and stage experience quickly made an impression.
He advanced through the competition and became one of the Top 10 male contestants. During the show's Four Chair Challenge, he took an unexpected approach to Carly Rae Jepsen's massive pop hit “Call Me Maybe,” rearranging the familiar song to better suit his own vocal style.
Although Calderon didn't ultimately win The X Factor, the show introduced him to a national audience and demonstrated that his abilities extended well beyond musical theater.
Becoming a Solo Recording Artist
In the years since Broadway and The X Factor, Calderon has continued balancing acting with music while developing his own identity as a recording artist. His solo material moves firmly into contemporary pop, including both English and Spanish-language releases.
Among the songs that have attracted attention on streaming platforms are:
- “come get it”
- “Small World”
- “Lo100to”
- “Heartbreak Szn”
- “Center of Attention”
- “Sorry, My Phone Died”
- “No Hard Feelings”
- “nightmares about my ex”
- “SMOKE”
His music has continued to evolve as well. “Heartbreak Szn,” “Center of Attention” and “No Hard Feelings” arrived in 2022, followed by songs including “Sorry, My Phone Died” and “Small World.” The bilingual side of his career can be heard in releases such as “Lo100to” and the Spanish version of “nightmares about my ex.”
More recently, Calderon has continued releasing new material, including “SMOKE” and “Under The Neon Light” in 2026.
More Than a Singer
Calderon's résumé has also included film and television acting. Rather than abandoning the theatrical background that started his career, he has moved between acting and music, including appearances in projects such as Hello Again and other screen roles.
That versatility makes his career particularly interesting. Calderon wasn't a reality-show hopeful who suddenly decided to become a performer when television came calling. By the time viewers saw him on The X Factor, he had already stood on a Broadway stage as part of one of musical theater's most unusual young casts.
Today, his music represents another chapter in a career that has already moved from children's theater and Broadway to reality television, film, television and independent pop.
And for anyone discovering Al Calderon for the first time, there are really two places to start. Go back to “Bad Bad News” and “Hey Kendra” to hear the teenage Broadway performer, then jump forward to songs such as “come get it,” “Small World,” “Lo100to” and “SMOKE” to hear the artist he has become.
