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American Idol

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After five weeks of auditions and the famed Hollywood Week elimination round, the action on season 22 of American Idol relocates to Hawaii for two episodes scheduled to air Sunday (April 7) and Monday (April 8).

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When the long-running television competition series moved to Disney-owned ABC in 2018, a new tradition began, with the production recording shows in Hawaii for a week. That’s where the top 24 perform over two nights at Aulani, a Disney resort and spa in Ko Olina. While Billboard has covered the popular TV series since its first season, this was our first time being present for the production days on O’ahu. Here’s how it all went down.

Day 1

Checking in to the Aulani Resort, one quickly notices the presence of American Idol. Signs are posted to let guests know that the series is recording shows on the property. And while children and families are everywhere, so are people wearing badges and headphones – clear signs of the presence of production staff, who are walking around with more intent and purpose than visitors enjoying a leisurely vacation.

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After lunch in one of Aulani’s many outdoor restaurants, the first stop was a grassy area where celebrity mentor Jelly Roll was coaching 15-year-old Triston Harper from Macintosh, Ala. After watching the enthralled teenager receive advice from one of his heroes, it was time for the first interview of the week – with last season’s winner Iam Tongi, who would be performing his new single that evening as a returning guest. We found a nearby conference room where we could talk without interrupting Jelly Roll’s mentoring session.

What do you remember about being in Hawaii during your season one year ago?

Iam Tongi: The thing I remember most was walking around so much. It was fun though, because I would sit down and talk with the security guards and the crew. We spent time sitting in the hallways and singing.

Rehearsing?

Iam: Not rehearsing, just jamming. People would tell us, “You’re being a little too loud. Bring it down a little bit.” I’d say, “Sorry!” All the contestants would sit in a circle, singing. I miss that.

You grew up here on O’ahu before moving to Washington state in 2019. Where is home these days?

Iam: I’m all over the place. I’m always on the road, but I always come back to Seattle for a week and then I’ll go back out for a month or two. I stay in Nashville a lot because I do a lot of music there.

What is it like coming back to American Idol?

Iam: I still get nervous filming. I still don’t know what to say. I’ll completely blank out when the cameras are going. Every time.

How nervous were you last year? Is it a different kind of nervous?

Iam: Yes, it’s a different kind of nervous. You won the show and now you want to prove it was deserved.

Have you had a chance to meet any of this year’s contestants? What advice would you give them?

Iam: They are really cool. I would tell them to have fun. If you think of it just as a competition, you’re not going to have fun. You’ve just got to relax and not focus on little things. Don’t let all the stuff get to your head. And be humble. When I first auditioned in New Orleans, I listened to everyone’s voice and I went up to my room, crying. I told my roommate I didn’t think I was going to make it. He told me, “Don’t think like that. You’ve just got to have fun. Relax.” I said, “Man, I don’t know. These guys are way better than me.” I would tell these kids not to compare themselves to other people because everyone is different. There will be people who love your music and people who won’t love your music. Be yourself and don’t let anyone change you.

What have been the highlights of the last 12 months for you?

Iam: I did an international run to Bali and then New Zealand and then Australia where I played (the Promiseland Music Festival). The headliner was Lauryn Hill. I was so happy to be part of that. Then I went to Tonga to visit my grandpa. I landed there and no one knew, because we never told anyone that I was going. The first hour, the whole island knew I was there. People on the radio were saying, “Iam Tongi’s in Tonga.” I was thinking, “At least they won’t come to my grandpa’s house.” I was sleeping and my grandpa woke me up, saying, “Hey, people are outside to see you.” So I went outside and talked everyone and I really loved it.

How are you dealing with going places and everyone knows who you are?

Iam: It’s amazing. I know a lot of people get uncomfortable with that but I respect it. If it wasn’t for the people, I wouldn’t be here doing what I love. When I’m with security guards and they tell me, “We’ve got to go,” I say, “No, I’ve gotta take one more picture.” Security will just laugh and the next thing you know, there’s a long line of people. “We gotta go!” “Wait, I’m almost done!” When I was in Bali, man, I was so surprised by how many people knew me over there.

Do you feel you represent Polynesian culture and want to bring that to the rest of the world?

Iam: Exactly. I want to represent where I’m from and my heritage. You know, Tongan, Samoan, Irish. I want to represent everything I love, which is this island, Hawaii, and all my Polynesian heritage.

After Iam’s interview, there was a three-hour break and then it was back to the same resort conference room to interview celebrity mentor Jelly Roll.

These contestants are in the early days of their careers. You had early days too. Did you have anyone who mentored you?

Jelly Roll: I did. I was lucky. There were a lot of musicians in my town that had done more than me that were all very open to helping me and I’ll never forget that. Coming up in hip-hop was very competitive, but they would still give me all the advice in the world. Mentorship is important to me still. Brent Smith from Shinedown and Eric Church and Kid Rock are mentors at times. I can call them with real questions and they’ll help me out.

When you were talking to the kids today and giving them advice, how much of your own early days were you reflecting on as you were talking to them?

Jelly Roll: I wanted to make sure they understood the moment. I kept emphasizing, “This is huge, y’all. This is on national television and the world’s fixin’ to vote.” I wanted to make sure they were present. Sometimes you’ll be in the middle of something and won’t take the time to see it. You just hope they see it. When I first met them I told them, “I hope you all are tight. I hope you’re all making the most of it.” Because some of these kids are going to be stuck in hotels together for months when it gets down to the nitty gritty.

One of the contestants, 15-year-old Triston Harper, must have had one of the best days of his life because he got to sing your song “Son of a Sinner” not just to you, but with you.

Jelly Roll: He walked in with the spirit of a 75-year-old man that had been through a lifetime of pain. Just wise beyond his years, with that deep Southern drawl. He has you eating out of the palm of his hand the first two seconds you talk to him, and the coolest part is he has no clue that he’s charming. It’s just naturally kind of who he is and then for him to be so moved by me was really cool.

Did you ever have a moment like he had today where you were face-to-face with one of your heroes?

Jelly Roll: Yeah, I’ve had a bunch. When I met Garth Brooks at the ACM’s last year, when I met Dolly Parton, when I opened for Eric Church, and then to be able to have a moment with Eric after the show similar to the one Triston and I had where I got to unload a bunch of questions on him and get advice. So I know that feelin’. I had it this year at the Grammys. I’d never been before. I met all these superstars. Jon Bon Jovi. Bruce Springsteen. Sir Paul McCartney. Robert Kraft. Tom Hanks. I had a wild week. Even where I am at in my career, I still meet people and flip out. I was scared to meet Paul McCartney. Lucky for me, Rob Light from CAA was there. I asked him, “Please take me to meet Paul McCartney.”

Did anything surprise you about today? Did it meet up with your picture of what it would be like to be a mentor?

Jelly Roll: It was easier than I thought it would be. I was worried. I still struggle with my own stuff, like, “Can I bring value to the situation, honestly?” I thought I could and immediately found my place.

What have you taken away from today? How did mentoring the kids affect you?

Jelly Roll: I realized how life-changing this is for these kids. Even if they go on and don’t have music careers, they have this story forever and I felt it on them. I took away the spirit of genuine happiness to be where you are, because it happens so fast that sometimes you don’t realize how special a moment it is and I told them to practice being in the moment and I needed to hear that too.

Did any of the kids today make you think they could be the winner of season 22?

Jelly Roll: Of my 12, I think three or four of them could have a dogfight in the top five at the end of this. This year is going to be intense. I might show up to one of those last live shows. I don’t want to see it on TV. I want to feel it in the room.

Day 2

After a relatively light schedule on Day 1, Day 2 was more intense. The production crew put the finishing touches on the massive stage, erected at the water’s edge. Right after lunch, it was time to meet up with Ryan Seacrest and judges Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan. Since their first season of judging, the trio has always done interviews together. At the Aulani resort, Ryan joined them to sit down with Billboard.

What motivates all of you to do what you do and what benefits do you receive?

Luke Bryan: The main thing is the promise of a new day with new talent and the fact that we’re able to deliver with new talent. Does everybody from the top 10 go on to be generationally successful and all that? No, but it’s worth it to us. It’s like gold mining. We mine a lot for a little bit of gold. And every now and then, we really strike it rich.We’re able to do that and have fun doing it and put on a really great positive show for people to watch at home. And I get the tears and the emotion and the joy. The joy is when people walk up to me on the street who are not country music fans and they say, “We don’t know your music that much but we appreciate what you guys do on American Idol.”

Lionel Richie: What I like the most is that we inspire. They walk in see us and they’re unsure. Some of them have a little attitude, but most of them are not sure. We see ourselves in these kids and then we happen to know the journey, so we inspire them and I love it when that little light bulb goes on when they realize, “Oh my God, I got this.” We’ve done our job because it’s not just about singing. It’s about life. And I think what I enjoy most is when someone stops me on the street and says, “Man, I was so inspired.”They aren’t talking about singing. They mean how we handle the kids and how they love us and how we interact and that’s called emotion. I feel like the largest father in the whole world. There’s nothing like having your kids walk in and go, “Thanks, dad. I really want to let you know that helped me out.” Makes me feel amazing.

Katy Perry: I think it restates that every human life has value; we help them find their spark. Not everybody wins American Idol, but they always find a gift along the way. If you were to look at everybody’s fingerprints, it’s an individual fingerprint. I believe we’re all created to have a purpose and I hope that we help them find their purpose and remind them of their value and their love that they deserve and inspire them. If they’re inspired, then hopefully there’s a reversal back to whoever is watching and they’re relating to the story where some of them come from the worst situations, from nothing, and then they are able to rise above. These days we have so much that is fake and fraudulent online where people are posing and it’s a comparison game and nobody can keep up, so it’s nice to share humanity, the heart of America. How does it make me feel? It makes me feel like it’s a responsibility. I think we all take it very seriously. No matter how much fun we’re having or the jokes or the jests, we understand what it’s like to walk a day in their shoes and to have a dream and want to see it fulfilled, so we take it seriously. When we see it come full circle like Iam Tongi or anyone on this show, we just feel so proud.

Ryan Seacrest: To their points, there’s a relatability to the contestants on this show and the audience watching it. If they’re doing their jobs, they’re speaking through them. The people who are watching it with their families – maybe they wanted to sing but never went for it and they sing through the television. I don’t sing. I, of course, watch the show, but I can see myself watching it and going, “I never tried that and I’m not good at it but wouldn’t it be fun and look at that person who I like and relate to go.” As I seethe viewer’s side of it, this is a show that is comfortable. You can get together with everybody and watch. It’s not controversial. You know what to expect in a way, but it’s always going to bring you surprises. We do take that seriously. We want to deliver. How does that make me feel? I feel pressure to make sure the show is delivered in the best possible seamless way every time it’s on the air and getting all of the moving parts in and on time, so that it does feel comfortable and relatable no matter what’s happening in those hours or two hours.

We’ve seen your friendship and camaraderie on air. How do you relate to each other when the cameras aren’t on?

Lionel: I don’t know that there’s a difference. Honestly, I’ve really discovered three best friends. We have a lot of fun together and we’ve gotten past the point of the egos. That’s long gone. We can say anything to each other. We know that it’s not going to be offensive. We don’t care. The most important part about it is we’re friends and we hang. I love them. I’ve got to tell you, I’ve known Ryan the longest, but Luke and Katy, I’m sure they would have been in my high school yearbook somewhere. It’s amazing. I love being around them.

Katy: We had dinner last night on our night off.

Ryan: Katy treated us to dinner.

Katy: We all wanted to go to this one restaurant and it was so fun. It’s so easy. It’s literally like family and you know what it is? It’s really reassuring. I’m not quite sure there’s a lot of people in our industry that… [To Luke] Well, maybe in your industry, in your genre…

Luke: Is that a country compliment?

Katy: It is a country compliment. They know how to hang and set their egos aside and aren’t operating out of fear. It’s just so fun.

Luke: I was going to say the Kryptonite for a group like us is egos, and we came in year one with none of that and so now from each year, we’ve built friendships that translate on camera now. We can all poke each other a little bit. We can have a little fun with one another and nobody calls their management team and starts complaining.

Ryan: It’s fun. You always get a laugh. You always learn something from somebody and then it makes it all the more special when you’re at work because it’s that same sort of connection.

Lionel: He used the word work. It’s not work. That’s the most important part.

This year you tie the record for the longest intact judges panel.

Katy: Really, tied?

Yes, because the first seven seasons with Simon, Randy and Paula were intact, so seven years is the record. You all need to do one more year.

Katy: To break it?

Lionel: I thought we signed up for 10? Was it 10 or 12?

Ryan: That was you.

Lionel: That was me.

Ryan: They tell us every year.

Luke: We have to go to the Magic 8 Ball and shake and see if we have next year.

(Editor’s note: Five days later, Perry announced that she was not coming back for season 8 on ABC.)

For the judges, what has been the best decision you’ve made as a judge? And for Ryan, what is the best moment you’ve had on stage?

Luke: We all have our shining moments of fighting for someone. Who was yours, Katy?

Katy: Mine? The girl I did the luau for. What you’ll understand is I disgraced myself. I disgraced myself on national television. I tell you, it’s not even out yet, but when it comes out, I’ll have to hide. I put my reputation on the line for a girl who I thought could go to the next round. She deserved it. She had more talent and she fought for it and to be honest, when we saw her next, she was like a whole different person and I was so glad that I did that. So I loved that decision, even though it will haunt me for the rest of my life. The luau will probably live on longer than the show. It’ll probably be the last thing that they say about me in my life. It was so weird.

Lionel: My moment is when I realized my fellow judges were on the same page. The person was not going to be the greatest singer, nor was that person going to be anywhere in the final 10, but they said something that made us all think about it for a moment. She said she’s homeless. “Where have you been?” “Nowhere.” “Who do you know?” “I’ve got a couple friends, but I don’t know anybody.” And it was one of those moments where I said, “Have you ever been to Hollywood?” And she said, “No, sir. I haven’t been out of my city.”

Luke: She was from the Bronx.

Lionel: She basically hadn’t been anywhere in life and I said, “Would you like to see the rest of the world?” She said, “Yes, sir.” And I got that look out of my fellow judges where I knew we were going to do something amazing. We voted yes so she could go through because we wanted her to have a life experience. We wanted her to meet new friends and again that’s the part I like about the show. Singing is singing. Winning is winning. Number one is one, but each one of these kids comes to this show to find themselves and our job is to complete them if we can or at least give them that lift and I just loved that moment when we said “you’re going to Hollywood” and she started crying. It was a moment.

Luke: Sometimes we catch a little flak online about sending someone home. The fans speak out against our decisions. They don’t necessarily know where we’re coming from in that mental process. If we have the opportunity to really change somebody’s life, it’s worth us doing it and changing their life no matter what we may catch on the back end. One of my fun moments was when Megan Danielle was in a sing-off last year. I was a real big champion for her. She won her sing-off, which allowed her to come to Hawaii and then she went from the top 24 and finished in second place. I had a little pride. She was a Georgia girl, so that may have had a little to do with it. It was awesome.

Ryan: For me, there’s so many different memories on this show over the years, over two decades on the show, but there is something really special that strikes me and has stayed with me over the years. It’s when we meet a contestant early on and we see them be successful on the show and then later I’m standing on the red carpet at the Oscars interviewing them. They’re nominated for an Oscar and they win it. The same thing has happened at the Grammys many times. It’s pretty cool to be there saying, “Congratulations. I remember when we met and now you’re holding an Oscar” or “now you’re holding a Grammy.” Those are things that you can’t believe happen, but that is the reason this show is this show. It works for people that just don’t win it. It works for a lot of different people in a lot of different ways and those are the things that strike me.

What is different about this seventh season on ABC, season 22 overall, compared to past years?

Luke: Doing auditions in our hometowns. When Lionel and Katy were in my hometown, I loved having them there. I think Lionel and Katy felt the same way. The fact that I got these two in a jet boat on the Flint River…

Ryan: Notice he said two of them.

Katy: Yes, being able to do auditions in our hometowns was special, to be part of our communities and give back in a little way, because we all come from smallish, little towns and I think you’ve seen our personalities as judges on this show but in our hometowns you saw a whole different side. You saw our families, where we came up, the venues we played. We talked about how we used to be in the contestants’ same shoes and you actually see those shoes.

Lionel: it makes us real people. The audience understood where we came from. We didn’t come from the moon. The point is we got a chance to show off our hometowns. Every time I go back, there’s someone who calls me Little Richie. Anybody who would call me Little Richie, they’re now 96 years old but they’re still there, still living. I cannot tell you how many people came up to me and said, “Little Richie, your mom and dad would be proud of you.”

Luke: There’s another nickname, but we’ll keep it quiet.

Ryan: It’s great to see that they’re not overnight successes, and know where they came from. everybody comes from somewhere and we saw their stories and their teachers and their stages. It’s something I think the viewers enjoyed.

Lionel: How about my high school principal who is a hundred years old who walked out and said, “Welcome back. Good to see you.”

The interview ends, but Ryan, Katy, Luke and Lionel have a treat for Billboard. A table with bottles of liquids in many different hues has been sitting on the side during our 30-minute talk but stagehands bring the set-up the forefront and the Idol foursome pour the different flavors over Mickey Mouse-shaped shaved ice and we all enjoy a local delicacy.

In the evening, 12 of the 24 contestants perform for the judges and an audience of a couple hundred resort guests. Guest mentor Tori Kelly joins Katy, Lionel and Luke to offer her own comments on the one dozen finalists she coached two days earlier.

Day 3

On the second night of performances, the 12 contestants mentored by Jelly Roll perform, and like Kelly, he joins the judges panel and offers sage counsel to this second set of finalists.

After production wraps, Tori Kelly has a late-night sit-down with Billboard to talk about her experience of mentoring half of the season 22 contestants.

You are a unique guest mentor because you auditioned for American Idol in season 9. If you could travel back in time to your appearance before the judges, what would you tell yourself?

Tori Kelly: I would tell 16-year-old Tori who was so nervous to not overthink so much. It’s something I still have to tell myself. I like to remind myself that nobody knows what they’re doing. I wish I could tell that to 16-year-old me. Because I thought that there was a way that you had to be. At 12, I was signed to a record label and I always had the sense they wanted me to open up more and be more bubbly. That just wasn’t me. I’ve never been that way. I’ve been very reserved my whole life. So I would go back and tell myself there’s not a right way to do this; stop comparing yourself. It’s okay if you’re a little more restrained but don’t be afraid to just say weird things and be yourself.

How did your own Idol experience inform how you mentored these kids?

Tori: I was definitely transported back to the time I was on the show. I remember wanting to prove so much and go full out every time. It’s so hard showing all of yourself in one song. You have two minutes to say “here I am as an artist” and I think that knowing what that pressure was like helped a lot. My hope for the contestants that I mentored is that they would see me as really a walking testimony of what can happen even if you don’t make it that far on the show. America’s going to do what they’re going to do and they’re going to vote but I think that they can take this as an opportunity to showcase as much as possible. And then if they get cut, don’t see that as the end. See that as the beginning because that was definitely the beginning for me.

Did you recognize yourself in some of the contestants?

Tori: Yes, absolutely. There was this one girl in particular – even before I heard her sing. She had the curly hair. She was 16, the age I was in the show. She was quiet and shy and super sweet and right away, I thought, “Wait, there are some similarities here,” and then I heard her sing. She had the same voice. She actually played me a video of her singing “Don’t You Worry ’Bout A Thing,” my version, when she was nine years old. I did see a lot of myself in her because when I was home with my parents, I was outgoing, performing all the time. I think she felt the same. I tried to help her pull out some of that character and that confidence that I knew she had in her. There were a few others too where I could just tell they wanted it so badly and I really understood that as well.

What was it like sitting in the judges’ chairs at the live show?

Tori: I loved it. I thought it was so much fun. I was so happy they asked me to do it because I got to see the progression of these contestants and see what they were struggling with and then see how they actually performed on the stage. It was really cool for me to root for them. I felt like a proud big sister. I had a blast. I loved it.

What was it like to come back and perform on the Idol stage again? Many say the old Idol nerves come back.

Tori: I can relate to that. There’s something about being on stage after seeing a bunch of people pour their heart out and then you think, “Okay, it’s my turn.” I had to remind myself, “Wait, you’re not competing. You’re just here to perform your new song.” I totally felt those nerves come back for just a split second and then I found myself in the song. These contestants have so much pressure on them and a big part of how well you do on the show is how you combat those nerves and how you carry yourself and how you respond to anything that can happen on stage.

Who were your mentors and how did they help you?

Tori: I’ve definitely had some people in my life who believed in me. One in particular is Harvey Mason, jr. Now he’s the head of the Recording Academy and is doing big things, but he was always a producer and one of the best vocal producers that I’ve ever worked with, if not the best. He’s the man behind “Don’t You Worry ’Bout A Thing.” He pulled something out of me that day and when I listen to that record, I think, “What are these notes you made me sing?” I’ve known him since I was 12 years old, when I was signed to a record label. He always challenged me and pushed me vocally and always had really encouraging things to say. I’ve been blessed to have a lot of amazing people in my life. As for singers, Crystal Lewis is someone I grew up listening to and to be able to meet her and consider her a friend now, I don’t think she realizes how surreal that is for me. Crystal, Rachael Lampa, Stacie Orrico, those were the trifecta for me growing up. I was a little girl in church loving their big voices and now I have them in my life being able to hit them up for things. And then I would say I consider my parents as mentors, especially my dad, since he is a musician. He would critique me, but he was always uplifting. He was never too harsh. My parents are two of my biggest fans, so I’m always very grateful to have their support.

What’s the release date of your new single that you are performing on Idol this week?

Tori: The single is called “High Water” and it’s out now. It’s off the new album called TORI. with a period at the end. I wanted it to feel like a statement. All caps. Self-titled. It showcases different sides of me that people haven’t seen before. I wanted songs I could dance to, that I could have fun with and belt out in the car. The release date is April 5.

The interview with Kelly was the final piece of business for the three days in Hawaii. All that was left was a very late-night dinner with members of the production crew, a good night’s sleep and packing in the morning. It’s difficult leaving paradise, but it was time to return to the mainland and reality.

American Idol loves a bit of drama. Hollywood is a drama factory. Match it up, and Sunday night’s Hollywood Week episode of Idol delivered so much of the stuff you could chew on it.

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Ziggy, the so-called Dutch pop prince, has gone full diva during this 22th season, sporting colorful, custom suits with matching candy-colored hair. Ziggy isn’t just testing his talents, he’s keen to make his old man proud; the rocker passed away before the season began, before getting the chance to see Ziggy shine in the U.S. singing competition. Mackenzie Sol, a Las Vegas-based TikTok content creator known for his prank videos, has sailed through to LaLa Land, and made fans along the way.With a spot in the final 24, the drama intensified. Ziggy (real name: Ziggy Krassenberg) went first with “This Is Me” from The Greatest Showman. Sol followed up with a performance of The Beatles’ “With A Little Help From My Friends”.The judges couldn’t separate them, so a challenge was set: a sing-off to “Jealous” by Labrinth or Harry Styles’ “Falling,” with just one hour to prepare. “Jealous” it was. Drama.

Neither singer was happy about the scenario. Nerves were shredded. “I don’t like the fact I’ve got to sing against him, he’s incredible,” remarked Sol backstage.

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A crestfallen Ziggy took his concerns to another level. “This is just insane,” he stated. Sol is “such a good singer, such a pure soul.”

At one point, Ziggy was so freaked out, he stepped into Sol’s rehearsal space and asked him to stop singing. “I am so nervous and you’re making me really nervous,” was the explanation. More drama.

If Ziggy was mortified, he had right to be. Sol, we learned, isn’t just familiar with the song, he used to sing it with his ex, to whom he assured he’d never sing it again if they broke up. “Why not use that pain and sing it for the last time ever,” Katy Perry remarked.

The youngsters took their turn to belt it out. “They both are really good,” Perry later remarked. Good, however, isn’t enough for one competitor.

Perry, speaking on behalf of the three judges, praised Sol’s energy that is “a little unbridled.” Ziggy “you should be so proud because you were so pure and honest,” she enthused. “It’s going to take you to the highest of heights.”

Not in this competition.

Sol shone bright enough to secure a spot in the top 24, and progress to filming at Disney’s Aulani Resort & Spa in Ko Olina in Hawaiʻi.

Watch the sing-off below.

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The ABC family just keeps getting bigger.
When 14-year-old Camila Galavis stepped in to audition for American Idol on Sunday’s (March 24) episode, judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie were shocked to discover that her dad is none other than Juan Pablo Galavis, the onetime star of another long-running show under the singing competition series’ network: The Bachelor.

Camila Galavis didn’t tell the panel at first that she is already reality TV royalty, having been just 4 years old when her dad’s season of The Bachelor aired in 2014. But while answering questions about her family from the “Firework” singer, the young singer eventually broke the news that her father was not only an ex-dating show heartthrob, but was in the American Idol building with her.

At that, the group called Juan Pablo into the room, where he confirmed that coming on the competition series was 100% Camila’s idea. “She’s been singing since she was little, and the opportunity came, and she wanted to do it,” he told the judges. “I said, ‘I don’t know if you’re old enough.’ That was last year. ‘Well, maybe next year.’ And then here she is.”

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After confessing that she would actually feel more comfortable with her dad in the room during her audition, the Venezuela native went on to sing an all-Spanish rendition of Joaquina‘s “Rabia” as Juan Pablo watched proudly from the sidelines, seated next to the in-house pianist on his bench.

Though it was a close call, Galavis was able to pass through into the next round with Perry and Bryan’s “Yes” votes outweighing Richie’s “No.”

“Love your confidence,” the country crooner told her after her performance. “Love your personality … I think the right producer could take your voice and cut a hit album on you right now.”

Venezuelan singer/songwriter Joaquina responded to the performance of her song on Instagram, re-posting the audition and writing, “Oh my God, this can’t be. [Camila] how beautiful. Wow never in my life did I think someone would sing one of my songs on American Idol, how crazy. [Juan Pablo] I love you guys so much. Congrats. God bless you on the journey of this show. I hope all your dreams come true.”

Watch Camila’s American Idol audition — featuring a cameo from Juan Pablo — above.

American Idol saved one of the best for last — Julia Gagnon.
Raised in Cumberland, Maine, the 21-year-old college student has spent time in the school of hard knocks.

Gagnon was born in Guatemala, and put up for adoption as a baby. Childhood in the U.S. was mostly a blast, surrounded by a loving family. But she experienced bullying in school.

“In Maine, not a lot of people look like me. And it was really hard to deal with,” she explained in the pre-recorded spot. It still touches a raw nerve.

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Gagnon was always curious about her birth family, and in her late teens embarked on a journey to find them. Her father hired a private investigator, and in 2020 located the youngster’s birth mother, Sara.

“She did let me know that she didn’t want me to go,” Gagnon said, adding that Sara conceded she wasn’t able to provide a better life.

The Idol stage would provide a platform for Gagnon to “do something for” her birth mom. “I felt really helpless, because I can’t go to her in Guatemala. It’s really far. But she’s really proud of my voice. And she wanted to see me do something big.”

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For an amateur singer, there are few bigger stages than Idol.

As the final audition for season 22, Gagnon brought out the big guns. The hopeful sang Aretha Franklin’s “Ain’t Not Way,” peppered with high notes, and low, feel, control, power and oozing soul. That big thing, it happened.

Proof of it came when the judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie gave a standing ovation.

“Did that come out of your mouth,” Richie remarked. “I am in shock. I grew up with Aretha Franklin. There are certain songs you just don’t sing. Because you can’t touch the original. You just made it not only your song, but you did things that were just beyond. That was amazing. That was absolutely outstanding.”

Bryan was touched by her “amazing falsetto,” and Perry was convinced that she has “several soul singers” inside her.” Not just one. You could go really far. You could be top 10.”

She’s certainly going to Hollywood. Gagnon earned the final Platinum Ticket for the season.

Watch the performance from ABC’s American Idol below.

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Liliana Dalton is in her Reputation era on American Idol. The 17-year-old San Antonio, Texas, native stepped in front of the judges for an audition in the upcoming episode of the singing competition, noting that she’s “a teenage girl. I have a lot of feelings about boys especially. I just write them down.” Her audition […]

21-year-old Alyssa Raghu pulled the ultimate steal on her best friend and roommate on American Idol this week, sneaking into 20-year-old Julia Davo’s failed audition. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Davo introduced herself to the judges, before performing a rendition of “Life on Mars?” by David […]

Sometimes all you need is that little extra push from someone who knows how special you are. On Monday night’s (March 17) audition episode of American Idol, 20-year-old Las Vegas native Athena Jett came in with confidence and a voice that should have at least gotten her a look from judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan.
But, just in case, she also had her adorable 12-year-old sister (and bestie) Angelina in tow to help boost her chances with good energy and a special homemade gift for Perry’s four-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Daisy Dove. Angelina proudly handed over a crocheted pink and white purse covered in a daisy pattern, naturally, with Perry loving the sweet gesture and hugging Angelina, saying Daisy definitely “loves a purse.”

In the lead-up package, Athena talked about how close the sisters are and how Angelina is her “biggest fan… she’s such a bright ball of energy and she believes in me so much.”

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Perry then invited Angelina to stand by the piano as Athena sang a somewhat shaky version of Sophia James’ jazzy 2021 ballad, “Somebody New.” Angelina was brought to tears, as was Bryan, with Perry praising the singer’s “great voice,” but saying that Athena’s nerves appeared to get the best of her. “People are out there fighting tooth and nail and so I am worried about putting you in the ring,” Perry said.

Then, unexpectedly, Angelina sheepishly raised her hand — as she and Athena shared whispered “I Love You”‘s to each other across the room — and asked if she could suggest a different song for her sibling to sing. “I don’t want to be barging in or anything, but I remember for piano recital my sister sang ‘Never Enough’ from The Greatest Showman. I really think that that was a really good song that she sang,” Angelina said.

Perry repeatedly encouraged Athena to raise her voice and sing it out loud as the singer hit a series of high notes during her second go and Perry jumped to her feet, sweeping Angelina up in a giant spinning hug. “Good job, you’re gonna come to Hollywood too,” Perry said as she shook Angelina’s hand.

“I couldn’t do this without her,” Athena said to the weeping panel, as Perry said that she went from a “hard no” to a “what the hell was that? That was phenomenal. You have to use that. That is your sword!” Bryan praised a crying Angelina for being so brave and stepping up to advocate for her sister, after which the weepy Angelina handed over the golden ticket to her overwhelmed big sis.

Watch Athena Jett’s audition below.

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Elleigh Marie Francom is a typical American girl, confronted by difficult circumstances.
The 20-year-old realized a years-long dream when she auditioned on American Idol Sunday night (March 19), and made fans everywhere with her appearance.

Francom is a full-time cosmetologist, a miliary daughter based in American Fork, Utah. Her mom, a singer who teaches theater and has tuned into Idol with Elleigh since the contestant was a kid, is battling multiple serious illnesses.

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“Dad was gone for much of the time,” she said in the prerecorded package. The youngster had to step up. “A lot of the responsibilities did fall on me,” she explained.

On the day of her audition, Elleigh learned that her dad will be deployed for a year, starting from April. How does she feel about that? “It really sucks,” she told the judges, as she burst into tears.

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Elleigh admitted she’s torn by choices. Chase the Idol dream, or go home and help out with her younger siblings when dad is away?

With her performance, the path ahead is now illuminated.

Elleigh channeled her emotions into a cover of Bonnie Raitt’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me”. And drained it.

As she completed the performance, the tears rolled. “Nobody’s ever hit that note at the end,” quipped Katy Perry. “It was great. You gave me the feels. You started off somewhat average, then you landed it. If you sang from that space every time, you would be in superstar territory.”

“I think she’s top 10,” Luke Bryan added. “There’s just really beautiful things going on in your voice.” When she slots into her groove, there were “classy” and “older than your years” tones. “I just loved it.”

Lionel Richie is a believer. “You went to a place that was so pure, so angelic, that it was really one of those moments where we couldn’t keep our eyes off of you.”

The family came out, the judges stood and applauded, Idol had a moment and Elleigh is going to “Hollywood Week.”

Watch below.

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Go west, they said. Scarlett Lee did just that with an audition on American Idol, for a glittering result. Raised in London, the Brit stepped into auditions Sunday night (March 3) and showcased her warm tones and extensive range, performing a cover of Emeli Sandé’s “Clown.”

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The three judges lapped it up.

“Oh, my goodness,” was Lionel Richie’s immediate response. “You do know that your trip was worth it. It was so well executed. I really enjoyed what you did.”

Luke Bryan chimed in: “What I do love is you have a neat personality. You have a neat little aura and vibe going on.”

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Katy Perry admitted she was hesitant when she heard the song choice. “Are we being pranked here,” was her initial thought. No, no it wasn’t. “That is one of my favorite songs,” the “Firework” singer continued. “It’s so vulnerable.”

It’s not the 26-year-old’s first rodeo. In 2018, Lee competed in the 15th season of the U.K.’s X Factor, finishing in second place, behind winner Dalton Harris; and participated in the 14th season, reaching the six-chair challenge.

Wearing a red dress, heels and bringing a “vibe” to the Idol auditions, Lee immediately won fans. “You’re fun and a little bit funky,” Perry continued. “Your personality is so big, and sometimes people don’t take you seriously. But when you sing a song and you sing a song like that, then you cut through all of the layers. It doesn’t matter the makeup, it doesn’t matter the outfit. You become Scarlett Lee the artist. The possible next American Idol. You become serious. So I’m taking you seriously. Your soul is shining through.”

It’s three yeses for Lee. And a golden ticket to Hollywood.

Judges Richie, Perry and Bryan and host Ryan Seacrest have all returned for the current, 22nd season of American Idol, which will be Perry’s last, she revealed in an interview with Jimmy Kimmel Live! ahead of the season premiere on Feb. 18.

The talent show airs on Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

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Having a platinum pedigree is one thing. But showing that you can use it is a whole different ballgame. Emmy Russell, 24 proved more than up to the task on Sunday night (Feb. 25) when the shy Nashville native, and granddaughter of country icon Loretta Lynn, stepped up to her mark on American Idol to perform an original piano ballad called “Skinny.”

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Smiling from ear-to-ear, Russell told the judge’s panel it was a “dream” to be on the reality singing competition as Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan struggled to hear the singer’s quiet speaking voice. “Tell us about yourself, other than being quiet,” Bryan said. “Growing up, I sang music my entire life,” she said modestly.

“I just love writing. I’m 24 years old. Songwriter. I love music,” Russell added. “I don’t really sing out as much anymore, but growing up I sang on the road with — my grandma’s a country singer so I grew up singing.” Which, of course, elicited the obvious question from Bryan, leading to the revelation that Russell’s grandma was the Grammy-winning country “Coal Miner’s Daughter” superstar, who died in Oct. 2022 at age 90. “Your grandma is… what?!” Richie said in disbelief.

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The show then unspooled a montage of Russell taking viewers on a tour of her “meemaw” Lynn’s historic Hurricane Mills, TN ranch and home, where the singer’s mom, singer Patsy Lynn, grew up. “She’s one of the biggest country music singers of all time, but to me she’s just my grandma, and growing up on the bus and all that was very normal to me,” Russell said.

Embracing her timidity, Russell explained that one of the reasons she is kind of shy is because she wants to be her own person and “own my own voice.” Counseled by Perry that, like her gran, Russell needs to find her own unique path, the singer then went to the piano to perform a moving original she wrote about eating disorders called “Skinny.”

“Haven’t eaten in days/ God I hate how you made me/ So scared to confess, been so hard to undress lately/ These oversized T-shirts don’t work like they used to/ Sleeping on scales is just what I’m used to,” Russell sang urgently on the ballad that had a touch of Olivia Rodrigo’s keyboard-driven confessional songwriting.

Perry was super impressed with the audition, calling Russell an “A+ songwriter… so was your grandma, you’ve got the gift. I don’t think you need to compare yourself to what grandma was… you’re totally different, you shouldn’t give yourself all that pressure. I think you came in like a mouse.”

“A baby mouse,” Bryan added, as Perry asked Russell to say her name again, but louder this time.

Richie agreed, saying, “My dear, you have promise. And I like your promise. Each one of us is trying to battle something that we’re trying to overcome. In your case you have big shoes. Now if I can just get you to put those shoes back in the closet, that’s not your size.” Bryan said the task will be to boost Russell’s confidence and help her “own it.”

It was a tearful yes for Russell, who will advance to the Hollywood round on the current 22nd season of the long-running series, which Perry recently announced will be her final one with the show.

See Russell’s audition below.

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