It's the reality singing competition to outlast all other reality singing competitions and IT'S BACK! American Idol Season 14 kicks off with auditions in Nashville, Tennessee.
In an attempt to keep make itself relevant (again?) American Idol is changing up the format for its 14th season. Borrowing a page from Dancing With The Stars' book, we'll eventually axe the hour-long snoozefest known as the results show. But first, there are a few more curve balls to be thrown.
For the first time (in forever...#Frozen #LetItGo) in the history of the show, American Idol's Top 24 will be revealed BEFORE we see them audition. We'll get to know the Season 14 contestants more thoroughly than ever before.
Sort of.
Singing Nina Simone's "Feeling Good," the Top 24 were "introduced" to us while shrouded in shadows. Someone has pink hair. Someone has a falsetto. And that last singer's shadow looked...older.
Sneaky, sneaky American Idol.
To find this season's Top 24, we'll be heading to the hometowns of each of the judges, starting in Keith Urban's adopted hometown of Nashville, TN.
The first contestant of the day is a kid who won a chance to play with Keith Urban during an awards show in 2012. Keith immediately recognizes the kid, Riley Bria, 17, who chooses to sing a Keith song: "Georgia Woods." (That means he was probably 15 when he got to play guitar with Keith Urban in a legit performance. That had to give him some cool points in his high school hallway.)
He's actually pretty good. He has style and talent and Harry says it's awesome that he comes in and doesn't even have to try. He's just made for the stage. Three quick yes votes and he's off to Hollywood.
Priscilla Barker, from Mississippi, is the baby of 10 siblings. She brought 14 family members with her. She chooses Tanya Tucker's "Delta Dawn" and has a crazy Jessica Simpson hand, but there's a throwback country quality to her voice. She gets a yes from Harry, a no from J.Lo, and a yes from Keith Urban. That gives her a golden ticket.
And her mother gets a hug from Keith Urban so she's pretty much the golden child. None of her siblings will be able to top that.
Cameron Bedell, a Kansas native who lives in Nashville, chooses "You Are the Best Thing" by Ray LaMontagne. Personally, I'm captivated from the first note out of his mouth. Keith chimes in and sings along a bit. Cameron didn't open his eyes while he sang but Harry said that worked for him because he seemed lost in his song in a good way.
Golden ticket for Cameron.
Last year, producers shied away from showing the embarrassing auditions. Not this year. There's a mid-episode montage of all the terrible auditions judges saw in Music City. Meh. Could've done without that.
It did pave the way for Memphis native Amber Walker who says that having music as a part of her life kept her out of the gangs. Music, she says, gave her hope. She auditions to "Heartbreak Hotel" and for the first time I realize there's a piano accompaniment for auditioners who don't play their own instruments.
That's a definite change from previous years, and pretty cool since some of the most successful artists in the past four seasons have been able to audition with instruments!
J.Lo gives Amber a yes. Harry says he really likes her but wants her to spend time getting her vocals together and gives her a no. Keith splits the vote in his typical Keith way and sends her to Hollywood. That dude is nearly incapable of crushing a dream. Nearly.
A barista from across the street, Kory Wheeler, got one hour off to audition. He plays "I Can't Make You Love Me" and it doesn't sound great in my TV. The phrasing sounds weird and in my ears he didn't hit the pitch but the judges loved him. He has to be one who sounded better in the room. Kory Wheeler got a golden ticket.
Michael Simeon is 20 and a student at Ole Miss. He's a farmer and doesn't want to be a farmer anymore. (He obviously doesn't know who Farmer Chris Soules is or he'd rethink that...) Michael's rendition of Sam Smith's "Stay With Me" is solid and he gets three quick yes votes from the judges. Then he asks J.Lo to dance with him. Slow dance with him.
Michael hands Keith his guitar and Harry ousts the piano man so Michael can dance with Jennifer while singing "Stay With Me" again. Keith can't resist harmonizing with him and J.Lo can't stop smiling.
Michael Simeon is six hundred shades of red.
Emily Brooke, 15, believes that Ryan Seacrest told her to audition, so there she is. She gave up all of her weekends and started playing gigs to pay her way to Nashville to audition for the judges.
Her chosen song is Carrie Underwood's "Blown Away." She gets high praise from the judges and a ticket to Hollywood.
Night two of the American Idol Season 14 auditions continues tomorrow! We'll recap it right here at The Hollywood Gossip!