On this episode of Unlocked, Savannah sits down with Blake Proehl, the former NFL wide receiver turned musician who never expected a devastating knee injury to change the direction of his life. Blake opens up about growing up in the shadow of his dad, NFL legend Ricky Proehl, the pressure of trying to make it in football, going undrafted, and the brutal injury that left him facing 16 months of rehab with no guarantee he would ever play again.
During one of the darkest seasons of his life, Blake picked up a guitar for the first time. What started as a way to pass the time quickly became something much bigger after a video of him singing with his grandmother went viral and brought hundreds of thousands of new followers almost overnight. Blake shares what it was like trying to balance football and music, going from the Vikings locker room to performing onstage, auditioning for American Idol, and ultimately realizing that music was becoming more than just a backup plan.
Now signed with MCA and living in Nashville, Blake is building a career as an artist and songwriter while navigating a completely different kind of grind. He and Savannah talk about finding your identity outside of what people expect from you, trusting God when your plans fall apart, the pressure that comes with sudden success, and why the connections he makes with fans matter more to him than any trophy or accolade.
Blake Proehl's debut EP 'Hearts Don't Break' is out October 2nd! Pre-save now! https://www.blakeproehl.lnk.to/heartsdontbreak
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About Blake Proehl:
Proehl isn’t your everyday singer-songwriter — he worked his whole life to achieve his dream of making it to the NFL, ultimately joining the Minnesota Vikings as a wide receiver. After a devastating injury during his rookie season, though, his life in football came to a screeching halt. During the recovery period and unexpected downtime, he encountered another surprise: falling in love with music.
His musical journey began with his family, and a video of him sharing his singing voice with his grandmother for the first time unexpectedly went viral on TikTok, surprising even Proehl himself. The tens of millions of views say it all — people are ready to hear more from Blake. His pop and r&b sound has the natural likability of predecessors like Justin Bieber, and Proehl’s humility and gentle spirit make it hard not to want to root for him.
As an artist expanding his skill set with the piano, guitar, and co-writing sessions, Proehl isn’t afraid of entering new territory. His smooth vocals are just the beginning — he is constantly gaining artistic inspiration from his interpersonal relationships as well as his own journey to physical recovery.
With each song and piece of content that Proehl creates, he hopes his music can act as a way to help people express themselves and avoid putting on any fronts.
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