After the talent they say, I think we can safely say it won't be the last.
Danny Gokey came out to christen the event, and the judges regrouped to explain they were looking for the *complete package.*
The first contestant was Garner, North Carolina native Scotty McCreery. He plays baseball, he loves country music and his deep, old-fashioned twangy delivery inspired Steven Tyler to render a critique that would make every duck in the tri-state area shiver right down to their webbed feet.
Three yeses later and Scotty is on his way to Hollywood to put a little country back into American Idol.
Another youngster who came all the way from Colorado to try her luck was Emma Henry, who had been watching the show way back to Season One, which means she was watching this show when she was roughly in kindergarten.
Her audition was sweet and simple, and showed a little bit of promise for that day when her voice matures and she becomes a bit more comfortable on stage. She also needs to discover who she is as an artist, and all judges believed that she had a special quality that required just a bit more refinement.
Ultimately Jennifer said no, Steven said yes and it took a lot of begging for Simon - I mean Randy to put her through. His concern, that she would be swallowed up in the whole process, he put aside courtesy of her big teary blue eyes. Mom confided to Ryan that she was sick, and with the encouragement of Steven and Emma herself The Dawg let her through.
(I wouldn't have. She's good, I like her... but man, she is not ready.)
Hopefully she'll prove me wrong.
Summer Fest custodian Naima Adedapo became emotional when she explained how much this break would mean for her, to put aside her 9-5 and live the life of her dreams that could give her daughters the things she never had.
Her version of Donny Hathaway's For All We Know demonstrated a maturity and an inborn talent that indeed completed the package of her very defined individual style.
She also has my favorite AI name this season.
Steven agreed she was "all that," and all judges voted her through - even though Steven had to school JLo on the correct way to say his name.
Another judge favorite was NY wedding singer Jerome Bell.
His version of Let's Get it On was a bit too over the top and, well, wedding singery to me. The judges loved him but I kinda think if Simon was still around he would have popped off with one of his trademarked "cruise ship" analogies.
But he got three immediate yeses.
I'm not sold.
And the fact they launched into Bieber mania to justify their lowering the contestant age to 15 didn't really help my mood. Thank God for Thia Megia.
Another 15 year old who had been watching Idol "her whole life," this Californian said that she knew that the auditions would ultimately make it to her home state but (and I quote), "couldn't summon the patience to wait."
What 15 year old speaks like that?
Apparently the one who can sing like that. She chose Adele's Chasing Pavements and her voice was as mature as her vocabulary, with distinctive phrasing and a rich tone.
In fact, I'm not especially convinced she's 15. I may need to see a birth certificate.
Is she from Hawaii?
Yes, yes, yes and YES.
It would continue the trend to send 15 year olds to Hollywood. (Whether or not they'll survive hazing week, we'll see. Thia has my vote.)
Let me just sum up contestant Nathanial Jones in two sentences.
1.) I don't get people who build a life around re-enacting the Civil War.
2.) The lion really doesn't sleep tonight.
I say this with utmost respect and love but Bill Clinton is probably very sorry he's not in office anymore. Milwaukee's auditions introduced us to Harvard grad and White House intern Molly DeWolf Swensen.
She survived an unintentional assault by the Dawg himself, and had no problems telling him about it with good humor, a great smile and an infectious laugh. This statuesque beauty opted to sing "Sittin On the Dock of the Bay," and the minute she opened her mouth NO ONE could have predicted the molten lava that would spill forth.
This intern has the rich, deep and sultry voice of a siren, and probably the sexiest female voice I've ever heard.
In a word... "schwing."
So, uh... love ya, Bill but... "dibs."
Steven Tyler continues to play with fire by engaging in a little flirty-flirty 18 year old Hayley Reinhart.
She has a bit of a rock edge, which I know Steven loved. She belted out "Oh Darlin'", which I kinda dug too. But I think another year of preparation might have served her more. She is firmly on the 'wait and see' list.
Tiwan Strong gave me what I didn't quite see from Jerome Bell.
It was a very smooth performance that was in control of his notes rather than singing power notes simply to show off the range.
The only thing that concerns me was the lack of concern for the family member who was nearly crippled by a charlie horse that only Ryan seemed to notice. So not sure about all that... jury's still out.
Auditor Steve Begune was next, and he's another one you can put under the "don't judge a book by its cover" list.
Loved the sound and tone of his voice. Steven found him "disturbingly great." All judges sent him through and he became Idol's first ever accountant.
Scott Dangerfield, student teacher showed up looking a bit like he was out for an afternoon hike.
But the minute he opened his mouth, out spilled some "blue eyed soul" in a way that made Jennifer immediately proclaim him her favey. With his look, his attitude and that voice, I can't say she's far wrong for sticking him pretty high up on the list.
During one of the teases earlier in the program Ryan asked if Megan Frazier could be the most annoying contestant ever.
She sang a JUSTIN BIEBER song as an OPERA.
Need I say more?
Steven Tyler superfan Alyson Jados went before the judges next, and EMTs were standing by with the defibrillator just in case.
[no pic available]
It looked like it might become a mutual admiration kinda thing between Alyson and her real life idol, until she sang his hit, "Dream On" out of key.
Ultimately Jennifer said yes, but Randy said no and gave the deciding vote up to Steven himself.
She got a ticket. It musta been some hug. I'm just sayin.
(I like her fine, like her edge, but she's got a kind of awkward stage presence that makes me a little uncomfortable. Like she's trying too hard.)
The last guy I can't even talk about. It's been four days and I still can't even think about it without getting all emotional n stuff.
It was the first American Idol sob story that actually made me sob. Like, both times I watched it and then for about five minutes after each viewing.
So. Without further adieu, meet Chris Medina:
All in all 53 folks got a ticket to Hollywood, and they showed some good ones that have a lot of promise.
My favorites: Scotty, Naima, Thia, Molly, Scott D and Chris.
Don't ask me to handicap this group for Hollywood. Cuz I can't do it.
And the audition train keeps movin' on.
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