S21.E01: Auditions, Part 1

[Ms Blue Jay]

The twenty-first season of the reality show singing competition American Idol premiered on February 19, 2023, on the ABC television network. It is the sixth season to air on ABC since the series' revival. Ryan Seacrest returned as host, and Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie returned as judges.

[Annber03]

Awwwwwwww, that tribute to Willie at the end :'(. That was touching. 

On a much lighter note, I got a real kick out of the people who shared all the judges' names...as well as Ryan's XD! That was hilarious. Lionel's audition may not have been perfect, but he was adorable :). 

Some good auditions this episode, and some pretty freaking emotional ones as well. Granted, that part's nothing new for this show, but still...

[Ms Blue Jay]

It's good to be back.  I thought it was a very good episode.  It was like getting into a warm, comforting blanket.

Although, when I tried to think of who won the season last year, I had zero idea.  Not a good sign.

[LADreamr]

Holy cow.  I haven't cried in a long time, and I think I ugly cried through most of this episode.  Glad to see they are demanding more of the singers.  Going to process and come back, but so far pretty optimistic about the talent.  Maybe we'll actually get a winner this year who isn't a WGWG.

(Yeah, I'm not sure about that, either)

[Annber03]

7 minutes ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

Although, when I tried to think of who won the season last year, I had zero idea.  Not a good sign.

My mom and I couldn't remember, either :p. 

[LexieLily]

57 minutes ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

Although, when I tried to think of who won the season last year, I had zero idea.  Not a good sign.

Chayce Beckham? I've heard him on the Music Choice country channel a few times, at least :p.

[Blissfool]

56 minutes ago, LexieLily said:

Chayce Beckham? I've heard him on the Music Choice country channel a few times, at least :p.

No. Chayce was 2 yrs ago. Last year was Noah Thompson.  (Yes, I had to Google that.)

[Blissfool]

What a great episode! 

The only golden ticket I disagreed with was the one given to the daughter of Glen Medeiros. Her voice is so high-pitched and annoying. She frequently appears on my Tiktok page touting the fact that she is Glen Medeiros' daughter. Every single tiktok of hers that I see she talks about her dad and how he was so big in the 80s and how his poster was on every teenage girl's wall. 🙄 Serious question, was he more than a one-hit wonder?

[Ms Blue Jay]

8 minutes ago, Blissfool said:

What a great episode! 

The only golden ticket I disagreed with was the one given to the daughter of Glen Medeiros. Her voice is so high-pitched and annoying. She frequently appears on my Tiktok page touting the fact that she is Glen Medeiros' daughter. Every single tiktok of hers that I see she talks about her dad and how he was so big in the 80s and how his poster was on every teenage girl's wall. 🙄 Serious question, was he more than a one-hit wonder?

LOL, I looked him up, and he didn't even originate the song, or write it!  His version was a cover!

Seems like he had a few hits, and then became a vice principal.  He also named his kids Chord and Lyric 😄

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_Medeiros

Edited February 20, 2023 by Ms Blue Jay

[OLynn33]

Whew man that was an emotional first episode. I'm drained. Like the kid's story wasn't enough about his dad, the song he picked and his delivery of it, the camera pans to Luke who is completely losing it. That was it. I was done too.

A lot of talent for sure. Great start. Christian music singer is interesting. I think there's a lot more to her voice. What a cool moment for her. I liked the country kid too who sang Simple Man. Sweet personality and I like his voice. Kid from Canada was off the charts. Wow let's go season 21.

[Vermicious Knid]

Tyler, man. He was really good. Still disagree with the whole idea of the Platinum ticket though. The bit with the name doppelgangers was funny without being too drawn out. Also liked Iam, and was thinking "How long before they have him sing Somewhere?" and then of course they used it for his family segment. Because that and Tiny Bubbles are the only songs that represent someone from Hawaii 🙄. Very first singer I thought was only meh but they practically anointed her.

[Maya]

I’m getting winner vibes from that first guy who sang country and lived on a farm. 

[Kenz]

2 hours ago, Maya said:

I’m getting winner vibes from that first guy who sang country and lived on a farm. 

He was great and he reminded me of the bashful, southern guy who won last year, Noah Thompson. They both have sweet looks on their faces and humble, down home charm. 

Edited February 20, 2023 by Kenz

[Ms Blue Jay]

8 hours ago, OLynn33 said:

A lot of talent for sure. Great start. Christian music singer is interesting. I think there's a lot more to her voice. What a cool moment for her. I liked the country kid too who sang Simple Man. Sweet personality and I like his voice. Kid from Canada was off the charts. Wow let's go season 21.

Honestly I don't even remember most of the auditions, but just this kid's REACTION to getting a golden ticket made me cry.  I rewound it like 10 times!

[pezgirl7]

11 hours ago, Blissfool said:

The only golden ticket I disagreed with was the one given to the daughter of Glen Medeiros. Her voice is so high-pitched and annoying.

I agree with this, and actually think most of the women that went through were not that great. The exception being the 16 year old girl who sang an original song, although even she didn't sound that great when she got out of her lower, whispery voice. And I didn't think the girl that sang with Lauren Daigle should have gone through, but they kinda had to put her through with Lauren showing up.

Most of the guys they showed I thought were excellent. Loved the Hawaiian kid and the song he sang, which I was unfamiliar with. Colin, from Mississippi, who sang Simple Man was probably my favorite. I just wish the judges had told him to make eye contact more, so he could work on that before he gets to Hollywood. I think he only looked at the judges once during the entire song. I also had a hard time understanding him during his package because he wasn't enunciating. Didn't seem to be an issue when he sang though. The other Mississippi guy also had a nice rock voice, although he's a little awkward to watch.

I felt bad for the kid with the bird who sang In the Still of the Night, since Katy once again made it all about her and was running around trying to catch the other bird.

[Ms Blue Jay]

That Lauren Daigle thing was really sweet. 

[MissPriss]

Katy is too much. Her theatrics are so fake. She makes it hard to enjoy good music which was in generous supply. 
Thank goodness for the reality of Luke. He’s a neutralizer. 

[DietCokeJunkie]

14 hours ago, Vermicious Knid said:

“Very first singer I thought was only meh but they practically anointed her.“

I was surprised the first singer went through. Her voice wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t particularly good either. I think the judges were drawn in by her dad’s reaction. 

Edited February 20, 2023 by DietCokeJunkie
Had to get creative to overcome my tech challenges, lol

[OLynn33]

6 hours ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

Honestly I don't even remember most of the auditions, but just this kid's REACTION to getting a golden ticket made me cry.  I rewound it like 10 times!

Same! Even the Producer was worried and asked him if he was happy 😭 My worry with him is he gets overwhelmed by everything. Glad his mom is going with him.

 

1 hour ago, DietCokeJunkie said:

14 hours ago, Vermicious Knid said:

I was surprised the first singer went through. Her voice wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t particularly good either. I think the judges were drawn in by her dad’s reaction. 

Her dad but also the song itself and that she had written it. The song is really good, and I always think you score some extra points especially on the opening audition if you go with an original song and it's at least decent. If her voice doesn't hold up she's an easy cut next round.

[Ms Blue Jay]

1 minute ago, OLynn33 said:

Same! Even the Producer was worried and asked him if he was happy 😭 My worry with him is he gets overwhelmed by everything. Glad his mom is going with him.

I watched it again and again.  He looks to the camera and he's just SHAKING, and he almost shrugs in disbelief.  Producer asks "Are you happy?"  He squeaks out "Yes."  then in a firmer voice "I am happy".  😭  😭   😭 

[OLynn33]

29 minutes ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

31 minutes ago, OLynn33 said:

 

I watched it again and again.  He looks to the camera and he's just SHAKING, and he almost shrugs in disbelief.  Producer asks "Are you happy?"  He squeaks out "Yes."  then in a firmer voice "I am happy".  😭  😭   😭 

😭 My other favorite part that I rewatched was Luke's reaction the second he realizes the kid can sing. He's so genuinely happy he just starts smiling. Like in his head he was probably praying PLEASE let him be able to sing because the kid had the personality and was instantly likeable. 

[PhD-Purgatory15]

Haven's dad, is the lead singer of the Christian Pop Rock Band "Building 429"..

The second girl (Lucy Love?) is the kind of AI audition I hate the most. She was perfectly fine (and having fun) singing Heard it Through the Grapevine!! You either liked her voice on that song or you didn't. What you didn't need (Lionel & Katie) was to pressure out of her an overwrought sob story of a Donnie Hathaway cover. She was 100% worse on the second song than the first, and yet the judges would have her believe that that style of singing/song is the only thing that's going to keep her in the competition in Hollywood. Deep Sigh..

Sort of the same thing w/ Lyric (plus a famous-ish musician dad). You either like her squeaky country-Camila Cabello voice or you don't. And if you don't, it should've been a no. The Before He Cheats 2nd attempt was so far outside of her comfort zone it was uncomfortable to keep listening to her..

Cole Stoudt has winner vibes already. Which after Chayce & Noah is a little concerning..

My nieces are both in the heart of their show choir seasons. Zechariah or Zachariah (the other kid from Cole's town) has serious Show Choir (or maybe Musical Theatre vibes). Great stage presence, no nerves whatsoever, and very very little range (at least on Hurt So Good)

I'm almost positive Megan Danielle tried out for the Voice last season or the season before and wasn't able to turn any chairs. I feel like they used some of the same footage of her Mom and her working at the BBQ/Southern restaurant. Wanting to define yourself purely as a White, Contemporary Christian singer (like one girl I'm blanking on from last season who got to perform in Hawai'i) has pretty much been a death knell from this particular judge's panel so we'll see what happens to her going forward..

Iam Tongi was excellent (although my fear is they will do him dirty in Hollywood) & Michael Williams had excellent hair & bone structure. And if I'm being super honest, pretty decent control of his falsetto for most of Bruno Mars He's also a rare, pure pop singer (not folky, not R&B, not throwback crooner, not rock-tinged) for Idol these days. That plus his looks may keep him in the game longer than you would think..

The Birdman (or BirdKid) was sort of weird. That said, he didn't have a terrible voice. He was probably in Lyric's ballpark. Just w/out her ready to join a CW show looks..

Sort of tuned out the last two, although Tyson's choice of song was spot on..

Edited February 21, 2023 by PhD-Purgatory15

[sempervivum]

4 hours ago, PhD-Purgatory15 said:

I'm almost positive Megan Danielle tried out for the Voice last season or the season before and wasn't able to turn any chairs.

Actually, she got to 9th place in S18 of the Voice.

4 hours ago, PhD-Purgatory15 said:

He's also a rare, pure pop singer (not folky, not R&B, not throwback crooner, not rock-tinged) for Idol these days.

(Is it worth noting that Michael Williams also got to the Playoffs of the Voice S18)? 

I think there are quite a few pop singers auditioning most years, they just don't go far in the competition. Most of the pop singers now are either singer/songwriter types (Maddie Poppe, Alexandro, etc) or country-tinged (everybody else).

Reactions vary: Like Luke, I wrote off Lucy Love after her first song, but was won over by the second one. But I agree that Lyric was not great on her first song, was terrible on 'Before He Cheats' and didn't deserve a ticket.

[cowgirlwen]

On 2/20/2023 at 1:10 PM, pezgirl7 said:

I felt bad for the kid with the bird who sang In the Still of the Night, since Katy once again made it all about her and was running around trying to catch the other bird.

I agree.  If I was trying to perform a genuine audition, and the judges (yes, all three) started singing, carrying on, and "doo-wapping" in the middle of my song, I'd be furious.  I don't think it ultimately made a difference to the kid with the bird, he probably wouldn't have moved forward anyways.  But seriously, how rude?!?!  It's like they were making fun from the very beginning of his performance.  

 

[Tigerjock]

Thoroughly enjoyed this episode. I noticed the judges said the platinum ticket allows you to skip any Hollywood round of your choice. Last year it only allowed you to skip the first round and have first choice at a duet partner. I think this new format may help prevent frontrunners from leaving too soon, like the girl who left early after already being offered a recording deal. That was kinda a buzzkill as I wanted to see how far she could go on Idol.

[MarylandGirl]

7 hours ago, Tigerjock said:

Thoroughly enjoyed this episode. I noticed the judges said the platinum ticket allows you to skip any Hollywood round of your choice. Last year it only allowed you to skip the first round and have first choice at a duet partner. I think this new format may help prevent frontrunners from leaving too soon, like the girl who left early after already being offered a recording deal. That was kinda a buzzkill as I wanted to see how far she could go on Idol.

Oh, I missed that they could skip the round of their choice. That seems like a better plan.

I also really enjoyed this episode and teared up a few time. I like how they do the early rounds on ABC with mostly showing some highlights, rather than how it used to be done ages ago, where it was mostly the embarrassing performances. I'd rather see the judges being wowed. And also seeing longer versions of the good performances.

It did sort of bother me that it was only females who they pushed to do a second performance. I don't recall any names, but I thought the woman who did "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" was good on her first performance, as @PhD-Purgatory15 noted. Yes, she had a few goofy moves, but so did the burger-flipping guy, and they didn't call him out at all. And then trying to get the other woman (Lyric? daughter of the famous singer) to be more "mean." I don't think she should have made it through at all though, based on her first or second performance.