Even the " American Idol Judges can make errors.
No, that's not merely a reference to Carrie Underwood , Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie 's choice of platinum ticket winner in this week's episode of ABC's singing competition (Sundays, 8 p.m. ET/PT), which was a bit of a head-scratcher. I'm talking about one 23-year-old contestant who delivered a father-daughter duet so impressive that it had Underwood changing her vote.
In this round, the structure of the auditions became more defined: It serves as Underwood’s springboard, highlighting the contestants heading straight to Hollywood week. The show also dedicates screen time to those who didn’t quite make the grade, allowing them to gain sympathy from viewers. Additionally, they bring in a famous friend to impress a contestant and create excitement before pulling out all the stops for one lucky platinum ticket recipient.
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The episode's familiar beats, however, don't detract from the stunning talent that came out of this audition round. These were the highlights from Episode 2.
A Tennessee high school student performs a duet with 2021 champion Chayce Beckham.
Let's return to discussing when "Idol" calls a friend for help. The previous week featured a Grammy-winning artist. Patti LaBelle This week's celebrity appearance was also successful— at least in the realm of reality television. Season 19's Chayce Beckham .
Bryson Quick A 17-year-old student from Tennessee gave a distinctive country twist to Pink Floyd’s “Time” and impressed the three judges with this daring approach: "Clever selection,” Underwood commented. Bryan, possibly swayed by their connection—knowing Bryson’s father, who works as a fishing guide—likened the young performer's talent to that of last year’s champion, Beckham.
So imagine this: Chayce quickly agrees when Bryan asks him via FaceTime to “send a kid his way for some motivation.” It turns out he’s conveniently in town to play at the not-so-famous Grand Ole Opry, and the former contestant doesn’t mind having an up-and-coming artist join him onstage. Talk about coincidence! (Okay, maybe it was all planned out neatly too.)
Therefore, during his inaugural trip to the Opry, Bryson performed as a duo with Beckham on the country hit song "23."
Why did Carrie Underwood switch her support from this contestant?
Mikaela Bautista A 23-year-old behavior technician from Rancho Cucamonga, which borders Los Angeles, performed impressively. Her rendition of "Saving All My Love for You" did not disappoint and was true to Whitney Houston’s style.
But when she sang with her dad, Vhen? She was amazing.
Richie and Bryan’s votes allowed her to barely make it into Hollywood Week, whereas Underwood remained unconvinced, commenting that although Mikaela showed promise, she seemed lacking in emotional expression during her performance. As the Bautista family entered to celebrate Mikaela, the judges requested a demonstration from Vhen, who had been a vocalist in the Philippines prior to the family relocating to the United States.
Mikaela came to life as she soulfully sang Andrea Bocelli and Céline Dion's "The Prayer" alongside her dad. And somehow, the judges' stunned faces somehow didn't translate to a platinum-ticket offer. But it did have Underwood issuing a correction: She changed her vote and issued Mikaela her third "yes."
This 'sensational' contestant is from a family of famous singers
Mky , a 25-year-old singer from East Los Angeles didn't only inherit his name (Mike Jimenez III) from his family but also a singing talent that Richie called "sensational" talent.
Mky is the nephew of 1960's Chicano rock and soul singer Little Ray (aka Ray Jimenez), the grandson of Mike Jimenez Sr. — lead singer of the band Tierra — and son of R&B and soul singer Myke Nez.
With a “song that has echoed through my family for centuries,” Mky thrilled the Smokey Robinson admirers amongst the panel of judges. During his rendition of "Ooo Baby Baby" by The Miracles, Mky flawlessly navigated each soaring and delicate note. Throughout the performance, Richie frequently erupted into excited shouts, feeling as though he had been whisked back to his high school days.
Underwood asserted, “He has all the components,” prior to the group casting their three affirmative votes.
Which contestants advanced to Hollywood Week in Episode 2?
These winners of the golden tickets were headed off to Hollywood—that is.
- Landry Chaplin
- Victor Solomon
- Isaiah Moore
- Grayson Torrence
- Brajawn Upshaw
- Mikaela Bautista
- Bryson Quick
- Carsen Webb
- Mky
- Josh King
- Filo
Who received a platinum ticket in Episode 2?
Once a performer in "Shrek the Musical," Filo experienced an impressive elevation as he transitioned from portraying life in the swamp to appearing amidst the bright lights of Times Square. There, he was unexpectedly presented with a platinum ticket during a broadcast seen by millions of viewers watching ABC’s “New Year's Rockin' Eve.”
The performance that secured the 23-year-old Egyptian singer a spot on the coveted platinum list—allowing him to breeze through the initial week in Hollywood—was an extravagant, theatrical take on Otis Redding’s “Try A Little Tenderness.” This powerful interpretation consumed all the air from the room. Unexpectedly, the panel of judges was entirely convinced.
"We’ve been waiting for you. What took so long for you to get here?” Richie said. As the judges geared up to deliver a round of yeses, Bryan declared, "You’re going to go far in this. Definitely Top 20, maybe Top 10."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'American Idol': Carrie Underwood regrets her vote, 2021 winner Chayce Beckham returns
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