American Idol alum Bo Bice is embracing a brand new era and a brand new look.
The season 4 runner-up surprised fans on Thursday, October 29, uploading side-by-side photos of himself to Instagram after undergoing a major transformation.
“Well, well, Tinkerbell… Who’s THAT guy?!” Bice, 51, captioned the post, which featured a promotional photo of him rocking long hair next to a more recent image of himself, in which the singer can be seen sporting short, spiky hair, multiple chain necklaces and a paisley shirt unbuttoned down to the navel.
He commented, “Ain’t it funny what 2 years’ll do in your life. … Here’s a blast from my past and a glimpse into my future with a new life, new style, but the same southern soul.”
Back in April, Bice opened up about making various lifestyle changes, including shedding 89 pounds.
“I’ve been off the grid for way too long now. Nothing much I wanted, cared or was motivated to share for a good bit as I was shaping up my body, mind & spirt [sic],” he wrote via Instagram at the time.
Thanks to his weight loss, the singer said he “can move around like I use to on stage and feel better, sharper and stronger from the lighter weight.”
As for his trademark long hair, he wrote, “Cut the hair from tail length to the short-haired country boy look again. A lot lighter and I’m saving on shampoo & conditioner.”
Bice said that he had also “stopped drinking caffeine,” noting that he “went from 3 cups of coffee and 5 cokes a day to only water and juiced fruits, vegetables, vitamins.”
“Everything fits and looks on spot,” he said of his wardrobe.
“No drinking, no drugs, body clean from everything but natural God grown remedies😉,” Bice wrote. “Back into a comfortable and healthy lifestyle, 50 feels better than any other decade I experienced yet.”
At the time, Bice also teased new music.
“Back to gigging? Does anyone still want to hear from an old wolf who’s long in the tooth and short on worries?” he asked his followers.
It seems new music is indeed on the way. On Monday, November 2, Bice marked his 51st birthday with an Instagram post in which he wrote, “HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME?! I guess so! What does 51 have in store? New Music, Journey, Way of Life. A RESURRECTED, BRAND NEW MAN.”
Bice initially gained notoriety on American Idol season 4 in 2005, which was won by Carrie Underwood. His debut album, The Real Thing, reached No. 4 on the Billboard 200 album chart that same year.
