ON Monday night's episode of American Idol, contestant Saylor Woodmansee's voice cracked during her audition, and Jay Copeland earned the final platinum ticket.
Lionel Richie told Saylor he can relate to her losing her voice, and that it has happened to him during shows.
“I really love your voice, I really do,” said Luke.
The judges gave her a golden ticket to Hollywood.
Then, Jay impressed the judges with a Stevie Wonder cover.
“You owned it,” said Lionel. “Your talent is off the chain.”
Meanwhile, Morgan Gruber's audition also aired Monday night, and both Katy and Luke revealed that they had written down "top 20" on their papers during her audition.
“That was amazing,” said Katy. “I really don’t have that many critiques for you.”
Monday night's episode wrapped up the season's auditions, and the show will move forward to Hollywood week next week.
Read our American Idol live blog for the latest news and updates...
Does every audition air on TV?
Not every audition will make it on television.
This is because there is not enough TV time to allow for all of the contestants to be featured on the show.
Those who make it through to the next round without appearing on television do face the disadvantage of lacking the exposure needed to help build up a fan base for votes later in the season.
Who is Douglas Mills Jr?
Douglas Mills Jr is an 18-year-old singer from Houston Texas.
Unlike the other contestants, Douglas was given an affiliate ticket pass from his school, after he was heard singing.
The singer revealed that he was bullied a lot, with some calling him a “gorilla.”
Katy Perry called Douglas a “superstar,” and Lionel Richie said “You’re off the charts,” after they heard him sing.
Who is William Hung?
William Hung auditioned for American Idol unsuccessfully in 2004. However, his audition did make him famous.
He still went on to pursue a career in music, despite being turned away for his perceived lack of musical talent.
In 2011, his career as a musician ended, as he pursued a career in law enforcement and became a technical crime analyst for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Who is Sam Moss?
After getting turned down by the judges in Austin, Texas, Sam Moss decided it was time to redeem herself.
“I walked away feeling pretty disappointed in myself,” she said when reflecting on her first audition.
Katy Perry invited her back on the show, and this time she performed an original song, which blew the judges away.
“Thank God you got so much better in such short amount of time,” said Luke Bryan. “Whatever I said in Austin, I take back.”
Who is Jacob Moran?
Jacob Moran is a nurse from East Lansing, Michigan.
He auditioned for the show in 2019 and was sent through to the next round.
However, he did not make it through Hollywood week.
This season, he went into his audition with more confidence and covered judge Katy Perry’s song, Rise.
He earned another golden ticket, with Katy saying he did her song justice
Who is Nadia Turner?
The former American Idol contestant competed in season four of the show, which was in 2004.
She made it to the top eight, before being eliminated from the competition.
She has since made guest appearances on talk shows, including The View, and Ellen Degeneres.
Turner returned to the audition room this year to accompany her daughter, Zaréh Isa, for her audition.
Who is Betty Maxwell?
Betty – full name Bacililky Andris Cantrell – Maxwell is a singer, actress, model, author, and pageant titleholder.
After graduating from Mount de Sales Academy in Macon, Georgia; Betty went on to attend both Wesleyan College and Mercer University before entering his first pageant in 2013.
In 2015, Betty was crowned Miss Georgia and went on to win Miss America 2016.
Betty married her longtime boyfriend Spencer Maxwell on November 8, 2017.
The couple now lives in Nashville, where Betty auditioned for Season 20 of American Idol and went on to the next round.
From The Voice to American Idol
19-year-old Allegra Miles auditioned for American Idol during Season 20, but this isn’t her first time performing on TV.
Allegra also auditioned for Season 18 of NBC’s The Voice.
The talented singer made it to the Top 9 before being voted out of the show.
Allegra is progressing to Hollywood after the three American Idol judges called her a “real artist.”
Who is Ryleigh Madison?
Ryleigh Madison, 16, is another contestant on Season 20 of American Idol.
The Whiteville, North Carolina native is reportedly a sophomore in high school who has been inspired over the years by country music singer Gabby Barrett, who finished third on Season 16 of the show.
The judges were immediately impressed with Madison’s country accent and bell-bottom jeans.
Sam Finelli left judges in tears
Sam Finelli’s performance left Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie in tears.
They praised the singer for his courage and talent following his performance of the song Rainbow by Kacey Musgraves.
“You are enough,” Richie told Finelli before Bryan added in that his performance “felt like an experience.”
As a result, Finelli received a yes from all three judges and punched his ticket to Hollywood.
“Are you ready to be the next Kelly Clarkson?” judge Kate Perry asked Finelli following their decision to which he responded, “I’m going to sure as hell try.”
Who is Sam Finelli?
Sam Finelli, 28, is famously known as a contestant on Season 20 of American Idol.
Viewers first met the star during the third round of auditions where it was revealed that he had been diagnosed with high-functioning autism.
Autism is known as a developmental disorder that impairs the ability to communicate and interact.
“I don’t like talking about it usually, but I was always different as a kid,” Finelli said in his emotional introduction video. “I don’t connect with people very well. It’s just a small part of who I am, it’s not all of who I am. It was lonely growing up, but music was my best friend.”
His mother Suzie was also seen in the video revealing that music has been his way of coping over the years.
Who is Cadence Baker?
Cadence Baker’s audition aired on the March 13 episode of American Idol.
She sang a cover of Whitney Houston‘s I’m Your Baby Tonight while her father, Shane, played guitar.
After her performance, the judges gave Cadence a standing ovation.
A native of Muscle Shoals, Alabama, Cadence is the granddaughter of renowned songwriter Gary Baker.
Who is Noah Thompson?
Noah Thompson was the first contestant to audition for American Idol this season when the premiere aired last month.
He is a construction worker from Kentucky and revealed that his friend signed him up for American Idol.
Noah also got the first ticket to Hollywood.
When did American Idol begin?
Created by Simon Fuller, the reality competition series American Idol first premiered on Fox back on June 11, 2002.
How can I watch American Idol?
The 20th season of American Idol kicks off on February 27, 2022, at 8pm ET and fans will be able to watch the show every Sunday on ABC.
American Idol can also be streamed on the ABC app or the next day on Hulu.
Who are the judges?
Judges Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, and Luke Bryan have returned as American Idol judges this season, and executive producer and showrunner Megan Wolflick said they are thrilled to welcome them back.
“The chemistry and passion Katy, Luke, Lionel, and Ryan bring is second to none. We couldn’t be more ecstatic that they are returning for this iconic 20th season in search of the freshest new talent that this nation has to offer.”
Are the auditions scripted?
Over the years, people have shared their experiences auditioning for the American Idol judges, who currently include Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan.
Even past judges have said parts of the show aren’t “real.”
Former judge Mariah Carey once told Australia’s Kyle and Jackie O radio show that her “non-existent feud” with fellow judge Nicki Minaj was manipulated for ratings.
She went as far as calling the show “so boring and so fake.”
“You have to make up things to say about people,” she said. “Half the time the performances are good.”
The audition process, continued
There are both open auditions and, according to that performer, invite-only auditions.
According to Cinema Blend, open audition contestants are asked to prepare a few songs, and when they arrive, they sing either alone or with one to two other possible contestants for a few “rounds.”
Potential contestants perform for all sorts of people involved with the show during this process.
Barnum said his first audition was with a casting team member.
The audition process
According to a singer/songwriter who auditioned for the show in 2017, Michael Barnum, there is a long process to the American Idol auditions before the taped “first” audition that viewers are familiar with.
“They didn’t just show up that day and immediately sang for the judges,” the performer wrote in a Medium blog post.
“It’s a process and there are many hoops you have to go through before any of that happens, including a 500 questionnaire psych evaluation.”
Audition rules, continued
Contestants under the age of 18 have to bring a parent or legal guardian with them to the audition as they may need to sign legal forms.
Those who want to get on the show must go through multiple rounds of auditions via producers before they get the chance to meet the judges and acquire a golden ticket.
How much does it cost to audition?
It costs nothing to audition for American Idol, provided hopefuls meet the show’s eligibility requirements, and cover their own costs of travel and accommodation.
You must be between 15 and 28 years old at your audition time and you must also be a legal US resident and not have competed in the Top 10 of a previous season.
Protocols for this season
This season, American Idol will air live again, but with necessary safety protocols in place.
To ensure the protection of the cast, crew and participants, the number of cities where the auditions were held were reduced, and the judges will be socially distanced.
How Covid-19 affected recent seasons
Season 18 of American Idol shut down due to Covid-19 protocols, but it was the first reality competition series to return to screens and air remotely.
Using custom-built Zoom technology, contestants that sang for producers got a green light to move onto a judges audition.
Who won American Idol 2020?
The winner of American Idol 2020 was Just Sam, née Samantha Diaz, who is a 23-year-old singer-songwriter from Harlem, New York.
“Literally, I could have walked away with nothing and been OK, but I walked away with everything,” Just Sam told Parade after her win.
“Wow! This is more than a dream come true. I am so grateful to have given this gift to my grandmother.”
Who won American Idol 2021?
The winner of American Idol 2021 was Chayce Beckham, 26, a singer-songwriter from Apple Valley, California.
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