American Idol
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Adam Lambert made a name for himself back in 2009 when he battled into the runner-up sot on American Idol‘s eighth season with a repertoire that included soaring, powerful covers of songs by Johnny Cash and Smokey Robinson that displayed his flair for finding a unique lane on well-loved classics.
After years of solo hits and an ongoing stint fronting classic rock powerhouse Queen, Lambert was back on familiar ground on Sunday night (April 30) when he returned to the Idol stage for a rocking cover of the 1973 Anne Peebles hit “I Can’t Stand the Rain.” The slow-burn ballad — famously covered by Tina Turner in 1984 on her Private Dancer album — got a electric reboot in the singer’s hands thanks to a set that surrounded him with digital purple rain showers.
With blue makeup tears dripping from his eyes and a typically understated all-leather ensemble spiked with sparkle accents, fingerless gloves, black platform books and a mesh tank top, Lambert bumped and grinded his way through the song, hitting all the high notes you’d expect and adding his patented glam magic to the R&&B burner.
Lambert dropped by just in time to meet this year’s Idol top 10, which was revealed on Sunday night. The singes vying for this year’s title are: Wé Ani, Marybeth Byrd, Megan Danielle, Haven Madison, Warren Peay, Zachariah Smith, Oliver Steele, Colin Stough and Iam Tongi.
The latter has been on a serious roll this season, earning hugs and bringing tears to the judges’ eyes with his gritty story and soulful vocals, including on Sunday night when Tongi ditched his guitar for a moving cover of Sam Cooke’s “Bring It On Home to Me.”
Check out Lambert’s cover of “I Can’t Sand the Rain” below.
If you didn’t have Iam Tongi making the top 10 of American Idol 2023, then never, ever gamble a cent.
Tongi has been lighting it up throughout the competition, earning hugs and tears from the judges, and cheers from millions more watching on at home.
The schoolkid from Hawaii comes across as a sweet kid with a tough story, but his talent is obvious when he’s at the mic. Katy Perry quipped that we were all watching The Iam Tongi Show. That might be the case, though he hasn’t scaled the summit just yet.
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On Sunday night’s top 12, Tongi ditched the guitar and performed a soulful cover of Sam Cooke’s “Bring It On Home To Me”. Just Tongi, a backing band and singers, and a sea of waving arms from the audience.
Tongi has an attachment to his guitar. His late father spent his holiday paycheck on a six-string for his son, then aged 13. Idol viewers saw how much that instrument means to the youngster when it needed to be repaired during the early weeks of this season and he had to go without it one week. Cue tears, everywhere.
On Sunday, Lucy Love and Nutsa were eliminated, Tongi and nine others went through.
On Monday night, the reveal of the top seven, plus a performance from Season 19 winner Chayce Beckham. We’re all still watching The Iam Tongi Show.
Catch the latest performance below.
Wé Ani
Born: Jan. 23, 1999 – Harlem, New York City, N.Y.
Favorite Alums: Jordin Sparks, Fantasia, Jennifer Hudson, Kelly Clarkson
Musical Influences: Beyoncé, Michael Jackson, Freddie Mercury, Whitney Houston, Etta James, Ella Fitzgerald, Amy Winehouse, Bruno Mars, Yebba, Drake, Childish Gambino.
First Idol Experience: “I don’t remember an age when I didn’t know American Idol. You’d watch how [the contestants] went from somebody who was just auditioning to somebody who is performing on a huge stage and having all of America love them. I thought, ‘I want that to be me one day.’”
Growing up in Harlem and also in New Jersey, Wé Ani’s earliest memory of music is listening to the soundtrack to the 1939 film The Wizard Of Oz and then watching the movie. “We had it on VHS. I’d put it in and then I’d hit rewind as soon as I figured out how to hit the rewind button and then I got introduced to The Wiz and I thought, ‘I didn’t know they could do other versions,’ and it blew my mind. So I started diving into a lot of different artists and I knew that music made me feel amazing.”
Later, she became aware of her own vocal talent. “I knew I could carry a tune, but I didn’t think anything of it. I was a little naïve because I thought everybody could sing. I thought in order to be a superstar, you had to do everything, because Whitney [Houston] acted and she sang and she cut a rug on stage. Beyoncé did the same thing. Michael [Jackson] did the same thing. So I thought I’ve got to dance, I’ve got to play an instrument, I’ve got to act. When I was 11, people were telling me, ‘You sound like a grown-up when you sing.’ And I said, ‘Doesn’t everybody?’ My singing voice was really deep and my speaking voice was even higher [than it is now].”
When she was 12 and in middle school, “I was going through a really tough time and I didn’t have anybody. I didn’t have any friends or anything. Luckily I had my family with me, but I had music and that’s when I stumbled upon Queen and I listened to their albums so much. I started singing from a place of desperation, thinking, ‘I have to get this out. If their music can make me feel like that, maybe I can write something that can make somebody else feel a little bit better too.’” That’s when she wrote her first song, “Isolation.” “You wouldn’t think it was written by a 12-year-old. I was listening to a lot of emo stuff, a lot of grungy, strong, aggressive music. I was mentally in a dark place but I was trying to be encouraging for other people.”
In high school, she performed in musicals, including Man of La Mancha, 42nd Street and Celebration. At the same time, the teenage singer was doing homework and also going into New York City to sing in bars. “My goal was to get these adults who were in a bar on a weekday, trying to drink and watch some game, to turn around and watch me.”
Did that happen? “Yes. I’m really hard-headed and stubborn. I wanted to give people a good time.” She wasn’t paid for singing in the bars, but when she was 16, she performed at the Harlem jazz club Minton’s Playhouse through an afterschool prep program and was handed a check for $50. That led to performances at Carnegie Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Library of Congress and the Apollo, competing four times at that famed venue, winning first place in the adults category twice, even though she was still only 16.
ABBAmania is back in a big way. After a 40-year dormant spell, the Swedish pop foursome has laid on a smorgasbord of music, merch and events for fans to throw their money, from their 2021 comeback album Voyage to their “virtual” residency at a custom-built arena in London, which recently sold its one millionth ticket.
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When Iam Tongi took his place on stage for American Idol on Sunday night (March 23), the teen hopeful created a little ABBAmania of his own.
The highschooler from Hawaii has had an incredible ride in this 21st season of Idol — and he’s taken millions with him on the journey.
Tongi has carried pain from the loss of his father throughout. On the latest episode, the youngster explained that he’s still grieving from the loss his dad, his musical companion and mentor. “When I sing,” he adds, “it’s so easy to express myself.”
Each step along the way, Tongi has impressed the heck out of the judges, and grown in confidence. On the latest, Top 20 edition, he did it again, this time with a stripped-back interpretation of ABBA’s “The Winner Takes It All”. Just guitar and Tongi’s warm, buttery vocals.
The lad’s mom was in the house, leading a standing ovation.
“I guess this is called the Iam Tongi Show now,” Katy Perry quipped in the wrap-up. “Can you believe what you’ve done. You’re 18. Your voice is timeless. What you’re giving us is transcending everything and hitting everyone in a certain spot. It doesn’t matter how old or young they are. Watching you become a star, feels like I’m watching a Disney movie.”
Keep watching, below.
Just because Katy Perry‘s on the American Idol judging panel doesn’t mean everyone’s going to agree with her. In fact, on Monday’s (April 17) episode, the competition show’s live audience in Hawaii went as far as to boo the pop star after she gave some harsh criticism to fan-favorite Nutsa Buzaladze.
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Buzaladze, who’s already earned a reputation for delivering show-stopping, high-energy performances, sparkled during her live rendition of Grace Potter and the Nocturnals’ “Paris (Ooh La La).” But for Perry, there was a little too much sparkle.
“Nutsa, every time you take the stage, it’s like you glitter bomb the stage,” the “Firework” singer told the Top 26 hopeful. “Listen, I think one thing I personally would like to see from you is not one piece of glitter the next time. I know that’s gonna be hard.”
Fans in the audience, however, couldn’t have disagreed more. The crowd started booing loudly in response, causing fellow judge Luke Bryan to cheer, “Yes! Katy got booed. Katy got booed.”
Perry, however, was unfazed. “OK, first time in six seasons, woo hoo,” she dismissed the jeers. She then clarified to Buzaladze what she meant. “What I’m saying is that I’d like you to flip the script. I think we want to be pulled in by our hearts, too. I’d love to see that, and I think America might too.”
In Perry’s defense, Buzaladze herself has admitted she needs to learn how to dial it back a little. When the 25-year-old contestant first auditioned for Idol in Las Vegas, the “Roar” singer told her the energy was “turned up too hot.”
“My problem is, I feel always that I have a lot of energy,” the hopeful admitted a few weeks ago while preparing for the Hollywood Week solos round.
Watch Katy Perry get booed for the first time in six seasons above.
When Wé Ani rolled into Disney’s Aulani resort, she wasn’t there to chill and take snaps.
The Harlem native is, of course, one of the top 26 contestants in American Idol 2023. On Monday night (April 17), as the performances rolled on in Hawaii, Ani left nothing to chance.
With her dad watching on from the audience, Ani nailed her performance of “Edge Of Midnight,” Miley Cyrus’ Plastic Hearts number from 2020.
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By fusing rock energy with her big, bluesy vocals, Ani had the house jumping.
Earlier in the season, Ani stunned the judges with her audition, when her high-pitched speaking voice turned to creme brulee with a performance of Demi Lovato’s “Anyone.”
“You are amazing,” Lionel Richie said afterwards. “This class is shaping up to be ridiculous. And I don’t want to put you into the ridiculous category, but that was ridiculous.”
With the element of surprise apparently gone, she caught judges off guard once more. During Hollywood Week, she hit an original song, “Good For”.
The 24-year-old singer has amassed a TikTok following upwards of 700,000, found a wave of supporters on Idol, and she’s already delivered moments of the sublime and ridiculous on this 21st season of Idol.
Watch her latest performance below.
There are hometown heroes, and there’s Iam Tongi.
The American Idol contestant was on home soil for Sunday night’s episode (April 16), when the top 26 delivered their goods from Hawaii.
Tongi had the audience (and judges) swaying along with his cover of Spawnbreezie’s 2011 number “Don’t Let Go”. Of course, the youngster’s family and friends made their presence felt.
Appearing relaxed and happy, the high schooler kicked back for a performance that was rootsier than a planation of coconut palms, mellower than Mr Stay Puft. And to be certain, it’s going viral on YouTube.
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Tongi is the first Hawaiian to make it to his point in Idol, and he’s had to put tragedy to one side.
The teenager has overcome the recent loss of his dad, and some major technical issues, to glide into Idol’s Hollywood Week, and now Hawaii. If there’s a fan favorite in this 21st season, you’re looking at him.
Originally from Kahuka, Tongi impressed with a cover of James Blunt’s “Monsters” during the auditions round, and made his Hollywood Week one to remember with a performance of “I Can’t Make You Love Me” and then a duet with Oliver Steele on The Weeknd’s “Save Your Tears.”
Last week, he powered through Hollywood with a performance of “The Sound Of Silence” that was nothing short of “showstopping,” Katy Perry later remarked.
Watch his performance from Hawaii’s Disney Aulan below.
Iam Tongi is already a fan-favorite on this 21st season of ABC’s American Idol. After delivering another grade-A performance, as he did with a haunting cover of Simon & Garfunkel’s “The Sound Of Silence” on Monday night (April 10), the youngster is firming as a potential champion.
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The high schooler has overcome the loss of his dad, and some major technical issues, to glide into Idol’s Hollywood Week.
Tongi’s vocals are both robust and sweet, with layers and angles few of us are gifted with. And when he’s at the mic, the spirit of Tongi’s father is never far.
Music and song was a force that connected the pair. “When Iam’s dad passed away,” the contestant’s mom says in a package, “he didn’t wanna sing anymore. He kept saying that every time he sings, he could hear his dad backing up. After talking to him… it’s a beautiful thing that he could hear his dad.”
On Monday’s episode, the teenage hopeful gave us another earful of his talents, this time with a reinterpretation of the Graduate classic.
The performance had Katy Perry reaching for the tissues. Later, during a sit down with all three judges, Perry told Tongi his “showstopping song” was a “brilliant pick. It made the room go silent. It gave more depth, more color, more layers to who you are.”
Flanked by Matt Wilson and Colin Stough, Tongi was reminded there’s only one more spot in the top 24. And he got it.
Plot twist. Perry had the honors of telling Matt Wilson and Colin Stough that Idol’s producers have blown up the 24-finalist format, and switched it to a contest for 26. And they’re both in.
The top 26 head through to Tongi’s homeland, for sessions with celebrity mentors and a concert at Hawaii’s Aulani Resort.
Watch below.
After a week of misunderstandings and onstage drama, American Idol hopeful Nutsa Buzaladze is redeeming herself. On the latest episode of the competition series, she tearfully apologized to Katy Perry — who last week told the 25-year-old singer to have more “grace” — and shared her take on what went down during her contentious duet rehearsals with Carina DeAngelo.
During last week’s duet round performances, DeAngelo threw Buzaladze under the bus by telling Perry and co-judges Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie that “some people wanted to sleep instead of working.” Buzaladze was visibly upset about the remark, but chose to keep silent — even as the “Firework” singer instructed her, “don’t forget about grace.”
“I wanted to tell my side of the story and I felt so bad, I was frozen,” she tearfully reflected in a sit-down with the judges that aired Sunday (April 9). “I didn’t want to bring negative energy, so that’s why I didn’t say nothing. I didn’t speak up because I didn’t want to cry on stage. After I left the stage I was just destroyed. So I wanted to apologize for that.”
Immediately, Perry stood up and hugged Buzaladze — who, in spite of the drama, moved forward to the next round while DeAngelo was sent home. “That is great,” Perry said. “That’s so wonderful and Nutsa, what I meant by grace is that it’s OK to be determined and ambitious and edgy and strong, but also with grace.”
“I really relate to you because I know what’s like to be a strong woman … to want to be strong and to never break and feel like nothing can ever get to me but that’s not real,” she added. “You’re a real person with a big heart and a big talent.”
In an April 4 Instagram post, Buzaladze — who this week proceeded to perform a show-stopping solo rendition of Tina Turner’s “Proud Mary” — explained in more detail what happened offstage between her and DeAngelo. “I want y’all to know that I took a 17-hour flight to get to LA, just 1.5 days before the shooting,” she wrote. “I did not know that we had additional vocal rehearsals, probably I missed this information , my bad. However, once Carina called me, I prepared myself and came back, as soon as I could, to rehearse even more.”
“I realized Carina was not feeling comfortable by that time and I did my best to rehearse as much as she wanted, I really wanted to make this experience unforgettable for both of us,” she continued. “She is a very talented girl, with strong vocals and I am sure she will achieve a lot in her career life and I wish her all the best.”
Watch Nutsa Buzaladze apologize to Katy Perry on American Idol below:
American Idol is just weeks into the competition, and has already seen its second resignation of the season. The Monday (April 3) episode of the show took a sudden turn when Kaya Stewart, daughter of Eurythmics‘ Dave Stewart, quit the competition during Hollywood Week after struggling with feeling sick.
Originally set to perform Adam Lambert’s “Whataya Want From Me” in a duet alongside fellow hopeful Fire, Kaya revealed that she was not feeling her best. “It’s duet day right now. I’m really sick, so it was a long night,” she told the camera crew.
In an aside, Fire added, “Everything was originally amazing when Kaya and I were rehearsing this morning and going through things and figuring out our plan, then throughout the day she started getting sicker and sicker and started getting a fever and she couldn’t remember the words. It was less and less progress. We were going in the opposite direction.”
Unsure of how to proceed, Kaya explained that she didn’t want to jeopardize Fire’s chances — as well as her own — with a less than stellar performance. “I always want to give my best, and I’m not giving my best here,” she said. “I don’t think it’s a fair representation of myself to do that or for Fire either. I don’t think it’s fair on her for me to not give 100 percent when she was giving 100 percent.”
Once it was time to perform in front of the judges Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan, Kaya announced her decision. “I got sick at the beginning of Hollywood Week and I have been trying to push myself and keep going and during this performance. I got to work with Fire and it was such a great experience,” she said. “She’s so talented and so incredible and we bonded so much, but I realized I wasn’t able to give 100 percent, so I have decided to not perform, but Fire is going to perform and I’m really grateful that I got to be here.”
Perry asked for further clarification about what her lack of duet means for her status on the show. “Me not performing means I’m not longer going to be in the competition,” Kaya stated before tearfully running off stage.
Kaya is the second contestant on this season of Idol so far to quit. Her resignation comes after the exit of Sara Beth Liebe, who left the show to return home to her three kids; Liebe’s decision came after Perry’s “mom shaming” joke.
Fire also got emotional over Kaya’s exit, remarking that it had been a “stressful” series of events leading up to their performance. The singer, however, got a second chance when fellow contestant Jayna Elise offered to perform the song with her. Following a tearful finish and a standing ovation, Perry offered Fire a few words of encouragement.
“I’m proud of you. You’re growing, little by little. You can’t control a lot, but you can control yourself and you can control your future,” Perry told the contestant. “Thank you for standing up here and continuing to try. Thank you for swinging. Thank you for not forfeiting. Thank you for fighting. And in this moment, we get to control a little bit of your future. You’re going forward, Fire.”
Watch Kaya’s resignation and Fire’s performance of “Whataya Want From Me” in the video above.