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American Idol‘s fourth week of auditions introduced a colorful assortment of characters, from an empowered woman who was inspired by Katy Perry to dump her boyfriend… to a guy who sees dead people.
Read on for a breakdown of the 15 successful contestants we met this week, most of whom will probably get the chop in Hollywood Week and you’ll never remember their names. OK, let’s begin!
DANNY LA ROTA, 24 | This full-time dental student received some of the best advice ever given on American Idol: “You need to shut their mouths and keep your mouth open.” That’s just how much Katy loved Danny’s fun, funky cover of Lorde’s “Royals.” Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie also dug his old-school vibe, likening him to greats like Robert Plant and Eddie Vedder — only a “better” singer! (Gasp.)
MAKAYLA PHILLIPS, 17 | After being turned away in 2017 for being too young (poor thing!), Phillips returned to Idol this week for a second shot at stardom. Katy was sold from the opening riff of The Supremes’ “Who’s Lovin’ You,” predicting that Makayla could be among this season’s Top 10.
DEVON ALEXANDER, 22 | Like Makayla, Devon grew up watching Idol, though he never pretended that any of his Barbie Dolls were Ryan Seacrest… or so he’d like us to believe. Anyway, this “cool dude” performed Sam Smith’s “Not In That Way,” impressing the judges with his crooner qualities and natural abilities.
MOSEAN WILSON, 23 | After sharing the tragic tale of his father’s battle with drug addiction, which he ultimately lost after his final overdose, Mosean delivered a bluesy performance of an original song called “Slip Away.” The judges were stunned, with Luke simply telling him, “You’re what it’s all about, buddy.”
FAITH BECNEL, 20 | First of all, yes to Faith’s choosing “Lady Marmalade” for her audition. Greatly appreciated. That said, the judges found her performance to be a little “cutesy,” offering her a mini master class in the process. Katy insists that Faith has an “undeniable it factor,” though, so we’ll see if that shines through in Hollywood.
KAT LUNA, 19, AND ALEJANDRO GARRIDO (AKA SPACE COWBOY), 26 | This insanely attractive couple met through church (but also Instagram?) and charmed the heck out of the judges, both earning Katy’s coveted Top 10 prediction. They performed Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper’s “Shallow,” and while I agree that their talents are undeniable, I actually prefer their voices individually. It’ll be interesting to see what becomes of these two further into the competition.
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JIMMY LEVI, 21 | This ghost whisperer entered the competition with confidence, knowing that his clairvoyant mother foresaw his Idol success seven years ago. And even though the judges weren’t crazy about Jimmy’s take on Chris Isaak’s “Wicked Game” (which gave me major Evelyn Cormier flashbacks!), he won them over with an a cappella follow-up. “You’re going to be a lot of work,” Katy admitted, though the judges seem invested enough in his “mystique” to make it worth their effort.
MARNA MICHELE, 27 | The most inspiring performance of the night came from Marna, who was born with arthrogryposis. As she explained, this meant she can’t walk, nor can she lift her arms above her head. But as Katy gleefully confirmed, Marna’s fist-bumping skills are exceptional. The judges were impressed by her range, but they agreed that she needs to concentrate on the storytelling aspect of performing.
REN PATRICK, 26 | Fresh out of an emotionally abusive relationship, this newly empowered songstress slayed Robyn’s “Dancing On My Own,” giving it her own stripped-down spin. (Fun fact: Katy allegedly inspired Ren to leave her boyfriend at a Hollywood party a few years ago. When she passed the couple fighting, Katy supposedly said under her breath, “Dump him, girl.”)
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Other successful auditions worth discussing…
* Emma Kate, 22, crushed The Beatles’ “Come Together” with her father, an “old goat roper from Idaho,” backing her up on strings.
* Marcus Tinsley, 28, had the support of his wife and two kids — one of which wasn’t an actual human child, but merely a pig in a stroller — as he jammed out to Bazzi’s “Mine.”
* Sophia Wackerman, 20, paid tribute to her late musician mother with an emotional, mature performance of Bishop Briggs’ “Water.”
* Olivia Ximines, 17, was dubbed “young Brandy” by Katy after singing Tori Kelly’s “Language,” a performance so good that it made Katy throw her pen across the room in anger.
* Once Zack Dobbins, 18, got a little guitar-tuning assistance from Luke, he was ready to go, wowing the judges with his natural musicianship. “I don’t think you know what you’re doing,” Katy said. “And I don’t think you need to know.”
Your thoughts on Idol‘s fourth week of auditions? Vote for your favorite performance below, then drop a comment with whatever’s on your mind.
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