♪ Take my breath ♪
Welcome to "American Idol."
Here we go, Nashville.
All right, here we go.
All contestants inside.
"American Idol"
auditions are here this week.
Let's do it.
♪ Take my breath ♪
Whoa. Whoa-h*! Whoa.
Here we go.
♪ Oh-oh, oh-oh ♪
- Are we ready?
- I'm so excited.
♪ Oh-oh, oh-oh ♪
All right. So looking
at me, not the camera.
Okay,
stand by. Stand by.
♪ Take my breath ♪
- On this side of the door.
- 15 seconds out.
Here we go. Ready? Okay.
Let's go.
♪ Take my breath ♪
♪ Away ♪
Incoming. Hey.
♪ Do it now or never ♪
Hey. How you doing?
Good. It's so
nice to meet you guys.
We're bringing you
along for all of the action.
This is "American Idol."
This is it. Who
did we find in Nashville last time?
We found HunterGirl. Whoo!
What I'm loving is, we
have Catwoman with us.
Yes.
Hey! Hey!
Watch out. Oh. Be careful.
Please do not bust the seat.
I'm so sorry I said that.
I'm ready to prowl for
talent. Oh, God. Here we go.
Ryan, it's so nice to meet you.
Nice to meet
you. Welcome...
I've seen you on my
TV for a long time.
How long you been
watching? Since the beginning.
Really? Yeah.
Kelly was my very first concert.
Come on. How old were you
when you went to see Kelly? Yeah.
Itty-bitty. Itty-bitty baby.
And I'm sad to
say that I fell asleep
during the show. No.
Please don't hold it against me.
I was really young,
and I haven't slept
through any of them since.
Ahh!
That's me pawing. Katy.
Katy "Purry."
Bye, Ryan. Bye.
FYI, there's a
potted plant here.
Oh. We'll try not
to shatter the glass
by the end of the Nashville
auditions, but here we go.
Incoming. Hey.
How are you? Hey, girl.
Hi. You
got the outfit memo?
Oh, yes. I mean...
It's like the Johnny
Cash all in black.
It's Nashville, baby.
Welcome to Nashville,
baby. It's Nashville.
Who are you?
My name is Caroline Kole.
Caroline Kole. Hello.
Hello. This is
incredible. I'm 25.
I've lived in Nashville
for ten years.
Ten years?
Ten years. What?!
Like, you probably have had a
few breaks here and there, no?
A lot of almosts.
And so what do you
do to make ends meet
or put food on the table?
I'm a social media
channel manager.
You know, there's a lot of
moving pieces in social media,
a lot of content creation
involved, a lot of strategy.
Yeah, a lot of bad posts.
Great. So you know how to
do your own social media?
Yeah, I think so.
Can she sing, Katy?
Well, she's just
so fun and cute.
And Caroline Kole.
What a great name.
What are you
gonna share with us?
I think it's a song
that you all know.
And if you do, feel
free to sing along.
♪ Mi, mi, mi, mi,
mi, mi, mi, mi ♪
♪ Mi, mi, mi ♪
All right. Hit it.
♪ Do you ever
feel like a plastic bag ♪
♪ Drifting
through the wind ♪
I'll sing this. ♪ Wanting
to start again? ♪
♪ Do you ever feel,
feel so paper thin ♪
♪ Like a house of cards,
one blow from cavin' in? ♪
♪ Do you ever feel
already buried deep? ♪
♪ Six-feet-under screams, but
no one seems to hear a thing? ♪
♪ Do you know that there's
still a chance for you? ♪
♪ 'Cause there's
a spark in you ♪
♪ You just gotta
ignite the light ♪
♪ And let it shine ♪
♪ Just own the night ♪ Uh-oh.
♪ Like the Fourth of July ♪
Oh.
♪ 'Cause, baby, you're
a firework ♪ She did it.
There she is.
♪ Come on, show
'em what you're worth ♪
♪ Make 'em go, "Oh, oh, oh" ♪
♪ As you sh**t
across the sky-y-y ♪
♪ Baby, you're a firework ♪
♪ Come on,
let your colors burst ♪
♪ Make 'em go, "Oh, oh, oh" ♪
♪ You're gonna leave
'em all in awe, awe, awe ♪
That's the coolest thing that's
ever happened in my entire life.
Even if this stops right now,
it's okay. You know what?
Listen. We've been
doing this for six years,
and she's never done
that to one of her songs,
so that means... And
that's exactly right.
That means she's
groovin'. You realize...
I'm groovin'.
Look, I was worried
because you hit a falsetto note
right before the big
payoff. And I was like,
"If this girl does not give
me the payoff, it's gonna be
a lot of almosts
in her life." Yes.
But you paid
it off. Paid it off.
You did it. You know,
I think you've got
all the tools there.
I think you're missing the mark
on some of the delivery. Uh-huh.
Don't feel like you got to be
safe and proper in your delivery
and just sing.
You've got the range and
the ability. Yeah. Yeah.
Anyone that can sing that note
before 7:00 p. m. is good... Yeah.
In my book. So true.
I love your
smokiness. Yeah, yeah.
That smokiness thing
that you have. The grits.
I personally think you
could be top 20-something.
Did you hear that? Maybe top 24.
Did you hear that?
That would be amazing.
But it's gonna be up
to you to go after 24.
You're gonna have to
get some fangs out, girl.
Let's take it to a vote.
I'm a yes. Good job.
Just remember, we're
in the likability business.
Okay? So sell your personality,
as well as those wonderful,
fabulous, smoky notes.
It's a yes for me.
A lot of almosts.
Remember that line in
"Firework"... I do. I do.
About the doors
that were closed...
to lead you to the perfect road?
Welcome to "American
Idol." Lionel: Ah.
You're on the perfect road. Ah.
Love it.
You got this, Caroline.
Let's go. Let's go. Let's go.
Let's go! Let's go!
One, two, three.
You're going to Hollywood!
There you go.
So go and grab that
golden ticket over there.
Thank you so much. I
can't wait for the next step.
That's yours.
- This is mine.
- That's yours.
Thank you. Thank
you. Thank you. Thank you.
You got it.
Thank you so much.
Yay! You k*lled it.
She's super-cute.
Very. Yeah.
Looks like there's some bounce.
And tears. And a golden ticket.
Congratulations.
Thank you.
Likability. Likability.
She's got the
sparkle. Likability.
This is so cool.
I know you've been working
very hard for this moment.
I'm sure that's what
you're feeling right now.
Yeah. So it's a lot of almosts,
and I feel like I
got another chance.
You're gonna make us cry.
She's that magic. Magic girl.
♪ All the lights,
all the lights ♪
We're looking for
superstars, and this is the destination.
Whoo! All right!
We're literally giving
away life lottery tickets.
Congratulations!
You're going
to Hollywood. Surprise.
We're able to
change people's lives.
He's got the perfect voice.
It's been a long time
since I've dreamed.
Let's go, baby! Oh, my God!
- I think I'm in a dream.
- No, this is real.
Oh, my gosh.
Oi, oi, oi!
I want you to fight like hell.
I feel like you were born
for a moment like this.
- And we are rolling.
- And go ahead.
"American Idol"
Season 21 marker.
Hey, y'all.
Hey. How you doing?
Not too bad. I'm nervous.
Real nervous,
but... Oh, heck yeah.
We'll get through it.
That means you're alive.
What's your name?
My name's Jon Wayne Hatfield.
Jon Wayne. Jon Wayne.
That's a solid name.
There's no doubt
you're from the country.
So good. Well, how young are
you? And where are you from?
I'm 21 years old, and I am
from a small town
called Goshen, Ohio.
Tell us about growing up.
♪ Ooh ♪
Life growing up
with my grandma and my grandpa,
it was fun. It was amazing.
I literally was so blessed
for them taking me in.
So they raised you?
They raised me since I
was about 5 years old.
Wow. My mom
dealt with addiction.
Oh, sorry to hear
about that. Oh.
My grandmother was my mom.
My grandpa was
always my best friend.
He would go out in the backyard,
climb trees with
me all the time.
It was the best life
you ever could ask for.
Oh, my gosh.
What song are you
gonna sing today?
I'm doing an original.
It's called "Tell Me Ray."
My grandfather's name is Ray.
He's out there? Yeah.
I want to see him. He's
gotta hear you sing.
He'll love this, man.
Come on in.
He has better style than me.
Sure does.
Hey. Hey. Hi.
How are you? Is your
heart just bursting right now?
Yes, it is, Katy.
It is. It really is.
I think he's gonna sing a
song he wrote about you.
Yeah, I know.
Oh. That's a tough one. So...
I lost my
grandma about three years ago.
After losing her,
watching my grandpa
was the hardest thing.
You know, he lost his
best friend of 50 years.
He wouldn't talk to anybody
for, like, about the first year
and a half, not even me.
I got mad at myself
because I couldn't fix it
and he wasn't ready. You
know, and I understand that.
I didn't see what he was
actually going through.
♪ Times were tough ♪
I was 16 when I met my wife.
I told her about
myself and she said,
"I love you,"
and that it's okay.
Jon was the last person I told
because I was scared
he would stop loving me.
♪ Got to believe
that I was hurt ♪
After about a year
and a half of not talking to me,
he sat me down and
told me he was g*y.
♪ Play you a tune ♪
I just wanted to put it
out there right away, like,
"Hey, don't think
that's gonna change
a damn thing between me and you
because you're my best
friend and you're my dad."
♪ Born to love ♪
It turned out that...
he was there for me
more than anybody.
♪ Born to love ♪
After my grandpa came out to me,
it really inspired me to write
a song called "Tell Me Ray."
This song means a lot to me.
It made me believe
more in myself.
I love you for that.
I think it just made him realize
that he can open
up without judgment.
It's a big relief to be able to
stand here and be proud and say,
"I'm g*y, and there's
nothing wrong with it."
♪ ...to love you ♪
Jon, my grandson, is my rock.
Aww. That's so cool.
That's so great. Great story.
We're really excited
to hear it. Go ahead.
Why don't you go
ahead, Jon Wayne?
♪ Tell me, Ray ♪
♪ Why don't you
face your fears? ♪
♪ And you hold back your tears ♪
♪ Tell me, Ray ♪
♪ Tell me, Ray ♪
♪ Why did you wait so long
to tell me what was wrong? ♪
♪ Tell me, Ray ♪
♪ Tell me, Ray ♪
♪ 'Cause if I knew
what was wrong ♪
♪ I could help you move on ♪
♪ 'Cause you can't
do it all yourself ♪
♪ You've had plenty of time ♪
♪ So keep me in mind ♪
♪ And tell me, Ray ♪
♪ Are you too
scared to move on? ♪
♪ Or sad that she's gone? ♪
♪ Tell me, Ray ♪
♪ Tell me, Ray ♪
♪ 'Cause if I knew
what was wrong ♪
♪ I could help you move on ♪
♪ 'Cause you can't
do it all yourself ♪
♪ You've had plenty of time ♪
♪ So keep me in mind ♪
♪ And tell me, Ray ♪
Oh.
Wow.
Whew. Ray.
Oh, my God. Oh, my God.
I don't normally do this.
Ray, you need my handkerchief.
Oh, God. God.
I don't give those out to...
Make sure you keep that,
Ray... to special people.
Oh, thank you so
much. Oh, my God.
You're a hell of
an inspiration, man.
You know, part
of us as people...
We have to be encouraged.
And a lot of us don't get
a lot of encouragement.
A lot of us have
to fight for it.
And to have that kid
write a song about you
is just very special.
I want to tell you.
Thank you so much.
Great songwriting, great
songwriting. - Yeah.
Yeah. I mean, what I love
about being a part of this show
is, people come in and
bare their souls in front of us
and people at home that may
be dealing with the same stuff...
Yeah... get to
realize that they're not alone.
You know, it just
starts a real nice...
Starts to make us all
feel like we're maybe one.
Yeah, maybe we're... Yeah.
Maybe we're not on
an island on our own.
And you guys being able
to handle it and sing about it
and tell your
story in front of us
is pretty amazing.
And, listen, you know,
just the way you hit the
first note on the guitar...
We knew it was... We
knew where you were going.
We knew there was a
beast. Yeah. We knew.
The way you play the guitar,
we can all tell that
you've got the time in.
You really showcased
the right foundation of
what we're looking for.
There you go. Thank you so much.
What you've shared with us
today was so authentic, so beautiful.
You're a songwriter. Amen.
You're a
songwriter. You've got a story to tell.
You've got so many
stories inside of you.
Thank you so much.
It's never too late, Ray.
Welcome to the club, honey.
Thank you. Thank you.
Not everyone gets to
live their authentic life.
Good for you. Thank you.
Yeah. Thank you.
I think we're gonna
start our voting.
I'm a yes.
Jon Wayne...
I'm a yes.
Jon Wayne Hatfield
and the McCoys,
it's a yes.
And more importantly...
You're going to Hollywood!
With that man right
there. Give him a big hug.
You did it. You
did it, you guys!
You did it.
Hey.
We did it!
We did it. We did it.
He did it. He did it.
Oh, that was good
one. That's good, man.
Whoo!
Oh, yeah! Yes!
If you have support
behind you and people
that love you, whatever
you love, you can do it.
We are going to Hollywood!
♪ You're my home ♪
What are you doing
here on "American Idol"?
Well, I'm trying to fulfill
the dream, you know,
of making music a
full-time business.
This is not a
singing competition.
This is a career-finding
artist competition.
I am auditioning from my gym.
My high-school choir room.
"Idol Across America"
changed the game.
We went into places where
they would never have
access to an audition place.
And that's when we
started mining for real gold.
♪ And it's a feeling
in my body
♪ Oh ♪
Are you good?
In the first years of the show,
you'd have to drive to a
city, stand in line all day,
but now you can just
pick up your device
and you might win
"American Idol."
We'd like to invite
Noah to sing for Katy Perry,
Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie.
That's a long way
from that first audition.
You're just about to
do something really big.
We're literally giving
away life lottery tickets.
We're able to
change people's lives.
We're gonna give
you a shot. Are you serious?!
When we can find an artist
that has a unique sound,
their own attitude,
their own presentation,
we've got show business.
Girl, let me tell you.
I tried out for "American
Idol" about 15 times,
and I've gotten 15 nos.
Well, guess
what. It's a yes today.
No way.
No!
Oh! Like, really?
You're gonna sing for
Katy, Luke, and Lionel.
Thank you!
♪ When the road gets dark ♪
Thank you.
For some people,
third time's a charm.
But for me, 15 times' a charm.
I am at "American Idol."
I'm trying not to cry.
My name is Ashley Tankard.
I'm 22 years old, and I'm
from Durham, North Carolina.
How does it feel right now?
Literally, I'm a nervous wreck.
This moment right here means...
Cliché, but it means
everything to me.
♪ Have a little faith in me ♪
Growing up, I was
really quiet and reserved.
I just grew up
with stage fright.
♪ Have a little faith in me ♪
And when I started to
posting videos online,
I wouldn't show my face.
Videos from here on down.
Once I started
showing my face...
What is the reaction you get?
A lot of my friends and
family react really well.
I get a lot of shares,
comments, and likes.
Good. So that's encouraging.
Yeah. It's very encouraging for me.
It makes you feel like,
"Okay, this is meant for me.
I should be doing
this." Yeah. Yeah.
♪ Have a little faith in me ♪
Oh, my God.
Being here about to
sing in front of three
of the biggest stars in
America... What's up?
Oh, my God.
I'm gonna do everything
I can to make sure
that this audition
is what it should be.
Hi.
Hello.
How are you? Good.
Girl, what's going on?
You having a freak-out?
You here.
Who are you?
My name is Ashley
Tankard, I'm 22 years old,
and I'm from Durham,
North Carolina.
I mean, can you put into words
what this means to
be on "American Idol"?
Oh, my God. Katy: Tell us.
I literally have been
trying out for this show
since I was 15 years old.
No way. Wow. Really?
Well, you're 22. How
many times is that?
Like, 15.
Oh, my God. God bless you.
You are the Little
Engine That Could.
What do you want to sing for us?
So I'm gonna be singing "You
Broke Me First" by Tate MacRae.
Okay. Okay. Very cool.
Take a breath. Okay.
You can do
this. You got this.
There you go. Drop the
shoulders. There you go.
Okay. Ready.
♪ Maybe you don't like talking
too much about yourself ♪
♪ But you should've told me ♪
♪ That you were thinkin'
'bout someone else ♪
♪ I know you, you're like this ♪
♪ When things don't go your
way, you needed me to fix it ♪
♪ And like me, I did ♪
♪ But I ran out
of every reason ♪
♪ Now suddenly you're
asking for it back ♪
♪ Could you tell me,
where'd you get the nerve? ♪
♪ Now, you could say
you miss all that we had ♪
♪ But I don't really
care how bad it hurts ♪
♪ When you broke me first ♪
♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh ♪
♪ What did you
think would happen ♪
♪ When you broke me first? ♪
There you go.
You did it! You did it.
Oh! You did it.
You did it!
Oh, my God.
All right. You want to
go to class real quick?
Okay.
School is in session. Okay.
Great song choice. Mm-hmm.
A little more
enunciation of the words.
Okay. All I heard was...
♪ What did
you think would happen? ♪
Okay.
♪ What did you think ♪
I need to hear it.
♪ What did you think
would happen? ♪
Okay. So take those little notes
and let's hear it one
more time. Okay?
Let's do it. All right.
♪ I know
you, you're like this ♪
♪ When things don't go your
way, you needed me to fix it ♪
♪ And like me, I did ♪ Yeah.
♪ But I ran out
of every reason ♪
♪ Now suddenly you're
asking for it back ♪
♪ Could you tell me,
where'd you get the nerve? ♪
♪ Now, you could say
you miss all that we had ♪
♪ But I don't really
care how bad it hurts ♪
♪ When you broke me first ♪
♪ What did you think
would happen ♪ Yeah.
♪ When you broke me first? ♪
There you go.
Ohh!
Good job. Thank you.
You did it
again. Yeah, yeah.
Oh, my God.
All right, so I want to
be quite honest with you.
No one kind of
knows this except me.
My first look on a stage
was, the curtains opened up,
and I walked off the stage
because I was scared to death.
And I know how
debilitating that can be.
This is something
you can get over,
but it's gonna require
some confidence in yourself.
It's not because you
don't have it... It's just fear.
Ashley, way to get in
there and battle and fight
and take Katy's advice.
You've got nice,
nice tones in there
when you're doing
that really rich vibrato.
But the high parts
of the chorus,
you seem to lose a
little bit of the control.
I think this is gonna be a
challenge for you. Mm-hmm.
But I think someone that
tries out 15 times knows
that there is no challenge
that you can't overcome.
So I'm gonna start and
I'm gonna give you a yes.
Thank you.
Wow. Wow. Thank you.
Luke, tell me
where you're going.
I'm a no.
Thank you.
You know, Ashley, we're
looking for superstars.
Yeah.
I'm gonna be quite
honest with you.
There are some things that
are being held back right now
just because of fear.
I would like to see
you develop it more.
I'm just feeling really proud.
I'm just proud that
she made it this far.
So no matter what,
I'm just gonna be
super-proud of my sister.
I have come to a conclusion.
You know, Ashley,
we're looking for superstars.
Yeah.
I just hope that they
see how much she wants
because it is, like...
It means so much to her.
Perfection at Hollywood
doesn't need to happen.
It's along the way.
She gonna fight.
She gonna fight.
She's gonna fight.
She never
gave up. Not once.
Nobody's more
deserving than Ashley.
She's been through
so much and...
has always fought so hard.
I'm so proud of her.
All right, young lady, I
have come to a conclusion.
If you can fight 15
times to get to this spot,
then I want you
to fight like hell...
I will.
Because...
you have a yes
from me. Oh, my God.
That means...
One, two, three.
You're going to Hollywood!
Thank you so much.
Can I shake your hand?
Come on. Come on.
Oh, my God, oh, my God! I won!
♪ You gon' figure it out ♪
♪ To be loved ♪
Oh, my God!
What? Thank you so much.
This is the best day of my life.
The Little Engine That Could.
Chugga-chugga-choo-choo!
Oh, my God.
I'm so proud
of myself right now.
All my hard work paid off.
Literally every
single tear I cried
every time I got rejected...
What?! ...it was
literally worth it.
We'll see you in Hollywood.
Oh, my God, oh, my God!
♪ To be loved ♪
There's been a m*rder.
Did the bear get
her? What happened?
This is proof to anybody
who wants to give up...
Do not give up. If it
takes you two times,
if it takes you 15, if it takes
you 100, it will happen.
It happened for me.
It literally just
happened for me.
I'm going to Hollywood!
♪ Am I ready? ♪
♪ Girl, there ain't a doubt ♪
♪ Am I ready? ♪
♪ What you talkin' 'bout? ♪
♪ But I'm ready ♪
Oh, my God! Yes!
When I started
out in the business,
I had absolutely
no experience at all.
This is the first
thing I've ever really done.
I like singing, but
I've never sang in public.
This is the first time I've
done something this big.
Nothing is bigger than this.
♪ So open your eyes ♪
♪ And see ♪
Some people have never sang
with a mic or been on any stage
or sung in front of anyone.
Do you do gigs? No.
Never, never, never?
I sing Carpool Karaoke.
No. Yes.
Oy vey.
Just so we're
clear, you're wrong.
You're always
looking for that magic person.
There's a lot to be
said for the underdog.
Going to Hollywood!
Aah!
There's something
beautiful about raw talent.
She was
supposedly scared to death.
And you are just...
This is your first time?
She ain't got nothing to
lose. She never does perform.
This is the destination.
Dang. Look at all these
darn lights here. This is fancy.
The place where talent
can come and thrive...
You're going to Hollywood!
And talent can come to learn.
Just be happy, be yourself.
Blast that voice
hard as you can.
And keep God in your head.
That's right. I appreciate
you. I love you, Cody.
You're gonna be
good. Okay? All righty.
♪ I can see the
stars from America ♪
- Well, all righty.
- What's up?
How y'all doing? Holy crapoli!
How are you?
I'm doing finer than frog hair.
Finer than frog hair?
Yes, sir. Good deal.
Wait. I'm sorry.
Frogs don't have hair.
- That's right. I'm doing that fine.
- That's the whole thing.
He's doing fine. He's
finer than frog hair.
And chicken don't have fingers.
It's a Southern saying.
Wow. Chicken foots.
Tell us who you are.
Well, I'm Cody Winkler.
I'm 25 years old
from Marion, Texas.
What do you do in Marion?
Well, I'm a
full-time truck driver.
Sorry.
My CB turned on. Am I ready?
And then I also farm and
raise cattle on the side.
So I'm pretty busy.
How long you been singing?
Well, I've tried my whole life.
I've always been kind of shy.
I always thought I was never
good enough to do anything.
So really pursued it
about two years ago,
and I'm just kinda
getting started.
Have you ever
been in a brighter room?
No. This is the first time ever.
It's like driving in a sunset.
You know, when the sun's
shining on you? Sure is.
I love that. You
singing a cappella?
I'm gonna sing a
cappella... Ooh, Cody.
And try to focus
on my voice a little bit.
All right. Let's hear it.
♪ Under a neon halo ♪
♪ With a tall dark stranger ♪
Where's your guitar?
♪ You'll find my
h*nky-tonk angel ♪
♪ Two-stepping
through the night ♪
♪ With some Red Saw wrangler ♪
Red Saw wr...
♪ Under a neon halo ♪
I think he needs some music.
I just want... Hey, great job getting
up there a cappella doing that.
- Man, I'm telling you.
- Well, I appreciate it.
It's a little hard to do
without a steel guitar
and all that in there.
I feel like I wanted to
hear it with some music
to really understand
it. Yes, ma'am.
Is there anything, I mean,
that y'all play or do? Come on.
Yes.
He plows fields.
I've never plowed
one field in my life.
There you go.
Give him a break. All right.
We'll vet this boy.
Let's vet him all the
way. There you go.
He ain't never seen so many
light bulbs in his life. Come on, man.
All righty.
♪ Give me a bottle ♪
You know that one?
♪ Of your very best ♪
♪ 'Cause I've got a problem
I wanna drink off my chest ♪
Come on, now!
♪ Gonna spend the night ♪
♪ Gettin' down ♪
♪ That woman that I had
wrapped around my finger ♪
♪ Just come unwound ♪
There you go. Ah, come on!
Come on! ♪ That woman that I
had wrapped around my finger ♪
Yeah! ♪ Just come unwound ♪
♪ She kicked me
out of the house ♪
♪ And tonight I'm
whiskey-bound ♪
♪ Bom-ba-dow ♪
♪ I'm gonna be ♪
♪ The drunkest fool in town ♪
♪ That woman that I had
wrapped around my finger ♪
♪ Just come unwound ♪
♪ That woman that I had
wrapped around my finger ♪
♪ Just come unwound ♪
Yeah!
That's why you
get paid the big bucks!
That was Cody, everybody.
Cody. Cody coming in.
I know that song, but I ain't practiced
that song in forever. Coming in. Cody.
I know it, but...
Come on. Cody, listen.
You did good, Cody.
You done good.
You done good, Texas plowboy.
Love it. Good
job there. All right.
Katy. Well...
That done filled my bucket.
Oh, man. Your cuppeth...
My cuppeth runneth. My cuppeth.
Listen, Cody, you are
authentic as it comes.
As it comes. As a tumbleweed.
As a tumbleweed tumbles.
I think you need to
practice with a metronome.
Your timing just needs
to be a little bit better.
And, you know,
you could lock into
some of those
notes a little bit better,
but you are as
authentic as it gets.
Yeah.
Cody, you remind me
of a dear friend of mine
that doesn't even deal with
just any kind of proper notes.
He just sings just like himself.
Who's that? The Willie.
Willie Nelson. Yeah. The Willie.
Yeah, he does. The legend.
Yeah. He doesn't hit notes.
He just sings like
he wants to say.
I don't know where
you all are going,
but I'm just gonna
tell you, I like him a lot.
And I just like him
enough to say yes.
I really had a great time.
Well, I appreciate
it. - Cody.
I still think there's
some fertilizing to do.
Yes, ma'am. There you go.
But you got something real
authentic. So keep hold of it.
Yes, ma'am. I
will. It's a no for me.
Okay.
Uncle Luke?
No. But's it all right.
Are you serious?
Yeah.
Luke Bryan is just an
amazing country singer.
I mean, how many people can say
that they got to
have the opportunity
to sing with a country
legend like that?
It's a memory that I'm
gonna keep with me
for the rest of my
life and cherish.
Y'all take it easy.
I love him. I just
think he's so good.
This is "American Idol."
One, two, three. Sing.
♪ A, B, C, D, E, F, G ♪
My name is Matt Wilson.
I'm from Buffalo, New
York, and I'm 21 years old.
Right now we are
inside my daycare center.
I'm a teacher's aide.
♪ Next time why
you sing with me? ♪
Cheese!
I love my job a
ton. I really do.
All right. One, two,
three. Silly face.
Uhhhh!
Every time I walk
through these doors,
I know I'm doing
something special
and something really important.
Mm! Whew! That was a good one.
I always grew up just having
a big appreciation for teachers.
Ah! Got my... Okay.
Can you work together as a team?
I know they play
a really large role
in how the kids develop
and become little humans.
Can I tell you the
surprise? - Yeah.
I'm gonna be on TV.
This audition, I've
never really done
anything like this in my life.
I get to sing so that I
can inspire you guys.
One, two, three.
Yeah, man!
I want to show them that
no matter who you are,
what you look like, you know,
you could definitely do the
same thing Mr. Matt's doing.
I'm just a regular
guy, you know?
Bye, everybody. Boy: Bye-bye!
Good luck, Mr. Matt.
What's up?
Hey, guys. Katy: Holy smokes.
Oh, my goodness,
man. How are you?
I'm doing well. How
are you all doing?
Good. Take it in.
Oh, my God.
Yeah, I'm really
nervous right now.
It's okay. Well,
tell us who you are.
My name's Matt Wilson.
I'm from Buffalo,
New York. I'm 21.
What do you do in Buffalo? I
work a 9:00-to-5:00 at a daycare,
so I take care of
some amazing kids.
So entertaining. Wow. Daycare.
That's a special
human being right there.
That's exactly what
I was gonna say.
Talk about block
out the noise. Wow.
Who's here with you?
I'm here with my
beautiful wife, Melisa.
21 and married. I
love it. 21? Wow.
Wow.
She's really the one
who put it all together,
so I really appreciate her.
Your wife really encouraged
you to come audition?
Oh, yeah. It's been a long
time since I've really dreamed.
And I honestly feel
like she's the reason
why I started to dream again.
Why did you lose your dream?
I was going there.
I didn't think it'd
even be possible.
If it wasn't for her, then,
you know, I wouldn't
be in front of you guys. Wow.
Very good. We're
glad you're here.
What are you gonna sing?
Today I want to sing
"For Tonight" by Giveon.
So I hope you guys like it.
Good. Good. Perfect.
♪ We've been done
long before it all begun ♪
♪ Still can't give it up ♪
♪ Lead me on, but leave
before the morning comes ♪
♪ Even though it's what we
want, can't keep this up for long ♪
♪ But I just, I just
don't wanna leave you ♪
♪ Might just, might just
throw away the reasons ♪
♪ Why we both can't lay here ♪
♪ And secret, secret,
both gotta keep it ♪
♪ Honest, honest,
that's just a game ♪
♪ We know we both can't play ♪
♪ For tonight, I'm yours ♪
♪ So deny the truth ♪
♪ Or stay behind closed
doors ♪ Look at my arm.
♪ 'Cause all I wanna do is lie ♪
♪ With you ♪
♪ Even though it's
wrong, I'll lie with you ♪
Good, man.
Thank you, guys.
Matt, man, you have a
purity and a believability.
I just love the fact
that it's genuine.
You know, it's...
Thank you so much.
You just had a
conversation with us.
Yeah. That's the quality.
Thank you so much. I
really, really must tell you,
I love your presentation.
Sky's the limit, my friend.
Thank you, Lionel.
Tone. Tone. Tone.
Mm. So it cuts through.
It sounds like it's already
mixed and mastered.
Check. Thank you.
I'm just so glad
that your wife said
"Baby, give it one more shot."
You've got something.
Thank you so much.
Matt, that was one
of the most genuine,
honest, real performances
I've ever witnessed.
I mean, what is your background?
Have you gotten close
to record deals before?
No. That's never happened to me.
Wow. This is like
a dream come true.
I'm so happy he came our way.
- Can we get the...
- Thank you, guys.
The wife in here? Come on.
Yeah. We're talking
about her. Come on.
I just want to see the
woman behind the man.
There you go.
There she is. Oh, there she is.
Okay.
Come here. Hi.
Hi. Melissa.
So, the first time this man
sang to you, what happened?
Did your heart just explode?
Oh, man. The first time I heard
him sing was in middle school.
Right. At that age,
to be able to sing like
that, he blew my mind.
And he still does every day.
And you encouraged
him to come audition?
Yeah. He has so much talent,
and I just want the
world to see that.
I agree with you.
It's a yes from me, okay?
Well, here's to never
giving up on those dreams
that you put on the shelf, okay?
It's a yes from me.
I mean, you sing the kids
in the daycare asleep?
I sometimes sing
for them. I do, yeah.
It's a yes for me.
Yes! You did it!
Hang on to that.
Both of you...
Are going to Hollywood.
Oh, yeah.
The more I say it to myself,
the more she says it to me,
I'm starting to really
believe that this could be
something that's possible.
I got it!
Ladies and
gentlemen, Matt Wilson.
Whoo!
We're going to Hollywood!
Boom, boom, boom.
That's so great.
Smooth, great. Operator.
I knew you could do it.
Thank you, baby. I'm so happy.
Thank you.
Hey, cool kids.
Look, Mr. Matt, he's got
himself a golden ticket.
You could do it, too.
I'll see you guys in
Hollywood. Let's go.
I don't know if this is
a show really about singing.
It's really a show about hope.
Some of these contestants
are so inspirational...
You did it.
To see that you can
dream that big dream
and actually attain it.
It's been a long day of waiting.
Just to think that I'm,
like, walking in there
and then just sing,
I'm gonna be like... Ah!
And it could change
your life. Yeah.
My name is Kaylin Hedges.
I come from New York,
and I am 15 years old.
I've loved music
ever since I was tiny.
I used to sing at all the
county fairs and stuff.
And from that I
started, like, discovering
I was, like, "Oh,
I really like this."
My parents took notice of
that, and they started to notice
how much, like, opportunities
were in places like New York.
And they were like,
"How do we get there?"
And then my dad came
home one day and was like,
"I got a way that
we can get there,
but that means I
have to deploy."
It was really scary
because he had to deploy
to, like, dangerous
places in order for me
to be able to pursue
music in New York,
where I got to do all
these, like, school musicals
and plays and stuff.
But he did it. And we got there.
I don't get to see my
dad very often, physically,
like, in person.
He's had to miss
a lot of things.
He has missed my
birthday nine years in a row.
It's... It can be
hard, but it's okay.
He's coming back next year.
So it'll be okay.
If he could be here right now,
he would be so proud of you.
♪ Sit in silence like a prayer ♪
Yeah. Love you.
Love you too.
You got this.
Thank you.
Are we ready?
Here we go. Good luck.
Thank you. I'll be
out with your mom.
Getting a golden ticket,
it would just kind of, like,
solidify all the sacrifices
weren't for nothing.
It would... It would mean a lot.
Crossing all my
fingers and toes.
Who's your biggest inspiration?
My dad. He's in the military.
So he's stationed overseas.
The military?
Yeah, he's in the Army.
Oh. He, like,
inspires me so much.
I love him.
Do you miss him?
I do. I do miss him.
That's very sweet.
I'm sure he sacrificed a lot.
Yeah. And we
thank him for his service.
Thank you.
Well, what are you
gonna sing for us today?
I'm gonna actually
sing a song that's to him.
"I'm Already There" by Lonestar.
It's just a song that, like,
just kind of, like, explains,
like, everything,
that has happened,
like, with us being
so far away and stuff.
So, like, I just
relate to it a lot.
Great story. Good. So... Yeah.
All right, Kaylin.
♪ He called her on the road ♪
♪ From a lonely
cold hotel room ♪
♪ Just to hear her say "I
love you" one more time ♪
♪ And when he heard the sounds ♪
♪ Of kids laughing
in the background ♪
♪ He had to wipe a
tear from his eye ♪
♪ And then a voice
came on the phone ♪
♪ Said, "Daddy, when
you coming home?" ♪
♪ He said the first thing
that came to his mind ♪
♪ I'm already there ♪
♪ Take a look around ♪
♪ I'm the sunshine
in your hair ♪
♪ I'm the shadow on the ground ♪
♪ I'm the whisper in the wind ♪
♪ And I'll be
there till the end ♪
♪ And I know that
I'm in your prayers ♪
♪ I'm already there ♪
♪ Take a look around ♪
♪ I'm the sunshine
in your hair ♪
♪ I'm the shadow on the ground ♪
♪ I'm the whisper in the wind ♪
♪ And I'll be
there till the end ♪
♪ Can you feel ♪
♪ The love that we share? ♪
♪ Oh, I'm already ♪
♪ There ♪
Thank you.
Oh, thank you.
15... I don't believe it.
That big ol' voice
in that small body.
You did a great
job. You have a...
I mean, to be 15 and to
be navigating like you are...
Like that. Oh, my
God. - Thank you.
Really, you know, to navigate
your falsettos and then...
Thank you. I got a little scared
'cause you were
using falsetto a lot.
Uh-huh. Then I was like,
"Oh, my gosh, she's
not gonna be able to go...
Oh, she just went big.
She's got a big voice."
She went real big.
Thank you. Yes. So great job.
You know, before we
do a vote, your dad,
he sent in a message
that he wanted you to hear.
He did? He did. He recorded it.
Oh, my God. Stop.
He actually did?
He did. You want
to... You want to...
Come a little closer.
Let me just put this on
here. You got this on?
You told him you were
doing this today, right?
Yeah, I told him.
Okay. Here you go.
It's your dad. I miss
and love you very much.
I wanted to tell you that
I have nothing but pride
and admiration for you.
I know I've missed
many holidays, birthdays,
and major life events
for you, but I just want
you to know that no
matter where I am,
I'm already there.
So take a look around.
That's insane. I
didn't know he did that.
You know what you ought to do?
What?
You should take a look
around. Take a look around.
Oh, my God!
Stop. Dad, what?
♪ I'm the sunshine
in your hair ♪
Oh, my God. What the heck?
♪ I'm the shadow on the ground ♪
There is screaming again.
♪ I'm the whisper in the wind ♪
♪ I'm your imaginary friend ♪
What the actual heck?
Oh, my...
I didn't know...
That's what my mom
was whispering about.
I knew she was
whispering about something.
No, no, no. No,
she doesn't know.
- Your mom has no idea.
- She doesn't know?
Oh, my... I won't say anything.
Mom.
Oh, no. Oh, my God. No.
Mom.
Mommy. Mom.
Get ready for this.
Hi, mom. How you
doing out there?
How's the weather out there?
Take a look around, Mom.
Oh, my God!
♪ Don't make a sound ♪
♪ I'm the beat in your heart ♪
We did it twice.
Whoo! We did it twice.
Well done.
We have one last
thing to take care of.
All right. So we've decided
to take this up another notch.
Everybody's been walking
out with a gold ticket.
But there's one platinum ticket.
Only one person in each
city gets the platinum ticket.
And we've decided that you're
getting the platinum ticket.
What?
That platinum ticket means
you're going to Hollywood
and you get to sit it
out for the first round.
It's like a rest day.
I mean, you're 15
years old singing...
Oh, my gosh.
Singing like Streisand.
Thank you! I hope
I raise my daughter
so that she speaks
like that about me.
I'm overwhelmed. I mean, it's...
Um, it's...
It's amazing to see.
It's the biggest gift, isn't it?
For a dad, are you kidding me?
Kaylin...
You're going to Hollywood.
Family's back toge... You
have the platinum ticket.
That's a big, big win.
Nice to meet you.
Nice to meet you, sir.
I'm... I'm so overwhelmed.
I'm just trying not to cry.
Mission "accompliced."
"Accomplished."
We're off to find more talent.
I love you too.
It's crazy.
♪ You just call ♪
♪ Out my name ♪
You ready for this? I'm ready.
Tell me about it.
I'm freaking out.
So how do you get rid of
that freaking out feeling?
Probably not going
to. Just gonna go for it.
Yeah? Yeah.
Just try and relax the best
you can, and here we go.
Let's do it. All right.
We'll be watching.
Take care. Good luck.
♪ Hey ♪
♪ Winter, spring,
summer, and fall ♪
♪ All you gotta do is call ♪
♪ And I'll be there ♪
♪ Oh, yes, I will ♪
♪ You got a friend ♪
Appreciate it.
What number is this fella?
He's more than just a
number. He's a friend.
Who are you?
My name is Aiden Adair.
How young are
you? I'm 19 years old.
19 years young. And
where are you from?
I'm from Clover, South Carolina.
Clover, South Carolina.
What do you do in Clover?
Nothing, really. Cut pizzas.
So that's about all I do.
And you're on
"American Idol" now?
Yeah. Somehow made it here.
Is this exciting for you?
Yeah. Definitely.
Like, completely out
of my comfort zone.
Ah, there you go.
Life begins at the end
of your comfort zone.
Right? And we're
pretty friendly.
We want you to win.
Yeah, we won't bite you.
So don't worry.
You've got a friend.
Thank you. Go ahead.
All right.
You got
this. Take a breath.
You got it. Take a
breath. You got it.
You got it. You're fine.
♪ Hey, you ♪
♪ Good morning ♪
♪ I'm sure you're busy now ♪
♪ Why else would
you ignore me? ♪
♪ Or do you need space? ♪
♪ You can't help it if
your mind has changed ♪
♪ So go ahead and
break my heart again ♪
♪ Leave me wondering
why the hell I ever let you in ♪
♪ Are you the
definition of insanity? ♪
♪ Or am I? ♪
♪ Oh, it must be nice ♪
♪ To love someone who
lets you break them twice ♪
Whoo-hoo-hoo-hoo!
All right, Aiden.
Can I have an exercise with him?
Yeah, yeah. Do
you want to or me?
I mean, I just... Oh, I want to
sing a James Bay song so bad.
Do you know James Bay?
Does he sing "Let It Go"?
Yeah. Yeah.
Wait, wait, guys, guys, guys.
We can have fun
with this exercise.
There's a...
There's a wall here.
He's about to freak out.
We're real.
You got this. You got this.
Hey, you want to look at
my pores real up close?
Yeah. Yeah. You need to come up.
What are you doing to him?
Wait, wait. See? Look. Hi.
This is kind of
crazy. It's crazy.
Hey. You have bangers.
Oh, I have bangers?
Plenty of bangers.
Thanks so much. You're welcome.
You've got great
eyes. Thank you.
And you've got everything
you need inside of you.
Thank you so much. There you go.
So sing me some James Bay.
That was great, Katy.
Do this.
Yeah.
We're not in front of you now.
If you need to walk around
or turn around, whatever.
I want to see...
I want to feel it.
I want to see you just dig in.
Do it.
♪ Come on, let it go ♪
Look at us. ♪
Come on, let it be ♪
♪ Why don't you be you ♪
♪ And I'll be me? ♪
There you go. Hey! There it is.
♪ Everything that's broke ♪
There you go. ♪
Leave it to the breeze ♪
♪ Let the ashes fall ♪
♪ Forget about me ♪
There he is! There it is.
Thank you very
much. There he is.
It's getting there.
Forget about me. Come on, man.
Listen, you have, like,
moves all of a sudden,
like this.
Come on, now. You
ain't shy. Get out.
Come on. A little bit.
This is a fun job.
I love this. I love this job.
All right, Aiden Adair, we
aided you with that dare.
Man, I'm just
loving this moment.
I'm glad. I'm glad. This
is a beautiful moment
because we're watching you,
right in front of our very eyes,
develop, like, years of
development in five minutes.
I just want to say I'm so
glad that you pushed yourself.
You went from
a four to an eight.
Right.
In five minutes.
Did you pass out? Not yet.
There you go. Did
you feel uncomfortable?
I did at the beginning,
but that felt better.
There you go. It's happening.
It's happening. We're
voting. We're voting.
We're going to vote.
What you going to do?
You gonna put the
kid in? Give me the ball.
Give me the ball. It's a yes.
It's a yes from me.
Yep. It's a yes.
It's a yes. It's a yup.
It's a yes. Three yeses.
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.
It feels great to have
them three yeses.
If I can get myself up there
to get out of my
shell a little bit,
it feels great, honestly.
You should be really
proud of yourself.
Yeah, you should
be really... All right?
Good job. We'll see
you in Hollywood.
Oh!
We have to keep the equipment.
♪ Things are looking up ♪
I want to say
thank you to the judges
for helping me to
come out of my shell.
That was really sweet.
He really improved
right before our eyes.
By the end of
the audition, I feel like
that's who I really
am, you know?
So for my next audition,
I'm starting with that eight,
and we'll move that up to a 10.
Congratulations.
Thank you, brother.
I'm going to Hollywood,
baby. I'll see y'all there.
Whoo!
We'll be right back. More
from Nashville after this.
What's up?
What's up, guys?
Hey. Hey.
What is happening?
Wake us up there, big dog.
Hey. I know, man.
Tell us who you are.
My name is Jerod Yount.
I am from Perryville,
Missouri. I'm 28 years old.
What do you do for work?
I... I make diapers.
Yeah.
I swear to God, I make diapers.
Number one in the
number-two business.
Yeah, right? Lionel. Lionel.
Yes? How many diapers
have you changed?
You know, you put
me on the spot here.
Lionel, is this what you
changing a diaper looks like?
You have a very full
diapy, don't you, bubby?
There you go, Lionel.
You have a very full diapy.
Bring that baby right up here.
Calm down.
Wait, is this a small,
medium, or large?
This is called a
newborn diaper, Lionel.
Yes, ma'am. If
you've ever seen one.
I have seen them.
Here we go. Here we go.
Wait a minute. Let me find a...
Ohh. Help him, Luke. Help him.
Ohh. Oh, no.
All right, here we go.
No, no, no.
You got a grip on that?
Oh, that's terrible.
No. No, no, no.
What was that, Lionel?
Here you go. I know
what I'm doing here.
It's not bottom to
top. It's top to bottom.
Lionel just gave the
baby 17 infections.
Right. Here we go, Lionel.
Thank you very much.
It takes two grown men
to change one diaper.
You put the middle button...
Lionel, Lionel,
over the shoulder.
Yeah. Gently pat.
Now sing "Easy."
♪ Easy ♪
♪ Easy like Sunday morning ♪
Maybe you could babysit, Lionel.
A round of applause for
Lionel Richie, everyone.
The kid stays in the picture.
I am feeling a
little tired today
because my wife woke
me up with a phone call
at 4:00 this morning to tell me
that she had just
delivered our second baby.
♪ I guess you'd say ♪
I'm Phil Stacey. I
was a top-six finalist
on the sixth season
of "American Idol."
♪ My girl ♪
Come on in.
I'm Ryan.
Hello. It's nice to
finally meet you.
It's nice to finally
meet you this way.
♪ Look out, kid,
trust your heart ♪
I'm McKayla Stacey.
I'm 16 years old,
and I'm from Wichita,
Kansas. What's up, brother?
My dad is Phil Stacey from
season six of "American Idol."
He made it to the top six.
How long has it
been since I saw you?
About 16 years.
This is actually my second
time on "American Idol."
I was actually born
into "American Idol."
♪ I've got sunshine ♪
Had a rough start.
The morning
of my dad's audition,
he got a call from
my mom saying,
"Hey, I'm in labor
and you're missing it."
And then he auditioned
anyway and ran to the hospital
and met me for the first time.
Oh, my goodness. Look at this.
So it's always
been really special
to have that film
of him meeting me.
This is the most beautiful
newborn baby in the world.
Even as a little kid, I
was definitely aware
of the impact "American
Idol" made on our life.
And I remember feeling
so cool going on YouTube
and searching out
my dad's audition
and watching it and
being able to see that.
Like, I knew how much it
changed our life as a family.
All of the judges
were so supportive,
but Paula especially, I
think, really latched on to you
and really encouraged you.
Which is why she
was my favorite.
Of course.
Surprise!
Hi, Phil. Hi, McKayla.
Oh, my goodness. Hi!
How exciting is this?
Oh, my gosh. This is incredible.
It's wonderful to see you, Phil.
Yeah, this is... This
is pretty surreal for us.
Amazing experience.
McKayla, when
your dad auditioned,
it was incredible for us to hear
that you're missing the
birth of your daughter.
But you know what?
Full circle. Look at this.
I can't wait to hear
you sing, McKayla.
Thank you.
If I got a yes from
the judges today,
I think my whole world would
absolutely flip on its side,
but in the best way possible.
Ohh.
This is wild.
The passage of time.
You're kidding me.
Are you passing
this baton, then?
I'm passing the
baton. I love that.
I'm super proud
of her. Okeydokey.
Well, what are you
gonna share with us?
I have "She Used
to Be Mine" prepared.
Okay.
Oh, my God. Dad's playing.
Yes. I'm gonna try.
She asked me to. If I
mess up, it's her fault.
Oh, my God. It's so good.
♪ And it's not
what I asked for ♪
♪ If I'm honest I know ♪
♪ I would give it all back ♪
♪ For a chance to start over ♪
♪ And rewrite an ending or two ♪
♪ For the girl that I knew ♪
♪ Who was reckless just enough ♪
♪ Who gets hurt but then ♪
♪ Who learns how to toughen
up when she's bruised ♪
♪ And gets used by a
man who can't love ♪
♪ And then she'll get
stuck and be scared ♪
♪ Of the life
that's inside her ♪
♪ Growing stronger each day ♪
♪ Till it finally reminds her ♪
♪ To fight just a little ♪
♪ To bring back
the fire in her eyes ♪
♪ That's been gone
but it used to be ♪
♪ Mine ♪
♪ Oh, it used to be ♪
♪ Mine ♪
♪ She used to be ♪
♪ Mine ♪
All right. So I like it
because you stared me down.
I know. I was, like,
making eye contact.
You're right there.
I saw it at the end.
I was really proud of her.
Oh, thank you. Yeah,
no, you were right there,
and I was smiling the whole
time because I saying "Perfect."
But I want you to
understand something.
Think when you sing,
you're telling a story.
Yes. Yes, sir. So a lot of it
is not so much
hitting the right notes.
You even crack notes as
long as it comes out believable.
Right? That's number one.
Number two, don't
break your character.
In other words,
you would hit it,
then you go... you're
waiting for the next part.
Then you go... Okay.
You know, like, "Okay, I
got that out." Yeah. Yeah.
So it's just little
simple things like that
that requires a little
thing called experience.
The most point I am gonna
say is you have a great voice.
Thank you. I think
I can hear a little bit
of the inexperience. Mm-hmm.
I'm a little bit on the fence
because the verses still
have a long way to go.
Okay. You got to make a
meal out of that first part.
Here's where I'm at.
Your verse was okay.
Right. But you're high end
on the chorus is incredible.
Incredible. Yeah.
So right now, you've
done an okay verse...
You're 50/50. Okay.
But listen, don't be scared.
You sang it like a
scared 16 year old.
Okay. All right?
I think it's time for us to
see if the second
generation goes through.
♪ There was a time ♪
McKayla, I think
you're a little...
Little young in this journey,
so I'm a no right now.
Okay.
I think you're worth
rolling the dice.
I just think that
there's something there
that we can develop.
And certainly if
we can do anything,
we can teach and
try to get that going.
By having us there, we
can get you through it.
It's a yes for me this time.
Thank you. Thank you.
♪ I thought I'd
reached the end ♪
I felt like you were born
for a moment like this.
It's a yes for me.
Yes! Oh, my gosh!
Yes! Thank you so much!
Hey! Hey!
You are going to Hollywood!
Yes! Lionel: That's
how you do it.
That's how you do it.
That's the real deal.
Lot of golden tickets around
the Stacey household, right?
Hey! There you go.
See you in Hollywood.
What? We're going to Hollywood!
Hey!
I am incredibly proud of my kid.
I mean, it takes a
lot of guts to do that.
Thank you, Dad. I know
I know what it's like
standing in front of
judges, being critiqued.
Having a camera that represents
millions of people back home.
This is the most
forgiving wife in the world.
Just such a great moment.
I was his story, and
now he's my story.
Very grateful for my dad
and very grateful
for this opportunity.
And I cannot wait for Hollywood.
Whoo-hoo! I'm so
proud of you, baby.
Aaah!
I got the golden ticket!
Amazing!
This is incredible!
Everybody say "Hi, McKayla."
Awesome. Awesome
job, baby. Oh, my gosh.
What is your name?
Flo. It's short for Florian.
Florian. French name. Yeah.
I love that.
Florian. Flo. Florian.
It was a Florian slip.
Oh, God. Somebody
come get him, quick.
This year, we're getting
an international crowd.
G'day, guys. How are ya?
Aussie, Aussie,
Aussie! Oi, oi, oi.
Oi, oi, oi! That's
it, guys. That's it.
If you can make it
on "American Idol,"
you've got the
rest of the world.
♪ Baby, you got me like oh ♪
I'm from Peru.
I'm from South Africa. Wow.
I moved here just for my dream.
♪ Nothing for me to do ♪
♪ But have one last cry ♪
♪ One last cry ♪
I mean, they're
coming from every nook
and cranny of the world.
Is this called "World Idol" now?
♪ I'm on top of the world, hey ♪
I'm from the island of
Grenada down in the Caribbean.
This is kind of like history
for me and my country,
because I'm the first
Grenadian to touch the state.
All right!
♪ Squeeze her and
don't tease her ♪
♪ And never leave her ♪
I'm loving all of this
international flavor.
We are making an impression,
on our 21st birthday,
around the world.
♪ Just try a little ♪
♪ Ooh, yeah ♪
You're going to...
Hollywood!
Thank you. Thank you, guys.
Let's go.
How do you say "You're going
to Hollywood" in Afrikaans?
Jy gaan Hollywood toe!
Jy gaan Hollywood toe!
Hey!
Grenada!
Wow.
I love it.
My name is Nutsa.
I'm 25 years old,
and I'm from Georgia.
The country.
♪ Do you know I adore you ♪
How did you end up here?
Because it has been
my dream to be here.
Really? Yeah, since
I was 8 years old.
Wow. Yeah.
Georgia is amazing
country. It's so small.
Only 3 million and a half
people living in Georgia.
But my dream city
to live is Hollywood.
I was a singer since
I remember myself.
I believe I was born to sing.
When I was a kid, I was
doing two-hour shows at home,
and I was not getting tired.
In my goal journal every year,
I've been writing
"'American Idol, '
'American Idol'"
for eight years.
And I don't want
to screw this up.
How exciting to be here
standing in front of the
"American Idol" doors.
It's crazy. I think
I'm in a dream now.
No, this is real. Good luck.
Thank you. I'll see
you in a few. Okay.
Right through?
Yeah, you go
straight through there
and up to the middle there.
And on the left,
you'll see the judges,
the three at the desk.
She's never been here.
♪ So let's keep
waking up, dreamer ♪
Welcome to the show.
Oh, my God. I cannot
believe I'm here.
Ooh.
Where are you from?
Georgia. Me, too.
Go, Dogs?
Sorry? No, no, no.
Go, Dogs? No. No.
Just say, "Go, Dogs."
Go, Dongs.
Go, Dongs.
Go, Dongs. Go, Dongs.
There you go. Perfect.
Listen... You're
in. Who are you?
My name is Nutsa.
Nutsa. Nutsa.
I'm 25 years old.
I'm from Georgia originally,
but now I live in Dubai.
Wait, you flew here from Dubai?
Yes. I was flying for 17 hours.
No. Yes.
Oh, wow. But it
was totally worth it.
Oh, my God. But I
cannot believe I'm here, really.
So you were like a performer?
I love to perform.
Are you gonna sing
and dance for us?
Yes. Yay!
Okay. Well, we're ready for it.
This is your shot.
This is your time.
Yes. Nutsa.
I'm ready.
♪ He met Marmalade
down in old Moulin Rouge ♪
♪ Struttin' her
stuff on the street ♪
♪ But now she said, "Hello, hey,
Joe, you wanna give it a go?" ♪
♪ Oh, oh, no ♪
♪ Gitchie, gitchie,
ya-ya, da-da ♪
♪ Hey, hey, hey ♪
♪ Gitchie, gitchie,
ya-ya, here ♪
♪ I said Creole Lady Marmalade ♪
♪ Voulez-vous coucher
avec moi, ce soir? ♪
♪ Voulez-vous
coucher avec moi? ♪
♪ Ooh ♪
♪ Creole Lady ♪
♪ Creole Lady, yes ♪
♪ Marmalade ♪
♪ Marmalade ♪
Yes.
Brought the table.
You brought it to the table.
Ah! Oh, my God. I did it.
You did it. You did it.
You done done it.
Well, I mean, look,
there's a voice in there.
Yeah. I think maybe it was
turned up too hot. Too hot.
Yeah.
Like, what is your second song?
"Greatest Love of All"
by Whitney Houston.
Okay. Okay, great.
Don't push it. Don't perform it.
I don't want to
see a dance move.
Just give us, like,
natural beauty.
Okay.
♪ I believe the
children are our future ♪
♪ Teach them well and
let them lead the way ♪
♪ Show them all the
beauty they possess ♪
♪ Inside ♪
♪ Give them a sense of pride ♪
♪ To make it easier ♪
♪ Let the children's laughter ♪
♪ Let it remind us
how we used to be ♪
♪ I decided long ago ♪
♪ Never to walk in
anyone's shadows ♪
♪ If I fail, if I succeed ♪
♪ At least I'll
live as I believe ♪
♪ No matter what
they take from me ♪
♪ They can't take
away my dignity ♪
♪ Because the greatest ♪ Whoo!
♪ Love of all ♪
♪ Is happening to me ♪
Very good, kid. Very good.
♪ 'Cause I found the greatest ♪
♪ Greatest love of all ♪
♪ Inside of me ♪
Very good.
Some real beautiful
moments there. Yeah.
I really enjoyed what you did.
You took that instruction
in terms of okay, too much,
tone it down, let
me hear your voice.
Mm-hmm. You nailed it.
Mm-hmm. Where
do you sing in Dubai?
The theater. Yeah,
but in Dubai, it's very...
It's flashy. It's flashy, right?
Yes. Very, very.
Almost like Vegas. Right. Yes.
Yes. Yes. You
just need to be you.
And, like, you could
be cool and sultry and,
like, you know, just a vibe,
but, like, it just
needs to be real.
And then it could
really be something.
Let's take a vote.
Good. I'll go first.
Your journey, as far as I'm
concerned, is just starting.
It's a yes for me.
I'm very anxious to see
how you turn into
that identifiable voice
that we all know and
love. Thank you so much.
The J. Lo from Georgia.
Yes.
Oh, my gosh.
All right, well, you
don't need my yes,
but I was gonna give
it to you anyways.
Oh, my God!
It's happening. Your
8-year-old self was right.
Oh, my God. I cannot believe it.
Guess what?
You're going to Hollywood!
Whoo!
Thank you!
Oh, my God!
I got it!
That way, that way,
that way, that way.
Go, Dons.
Go, Dogs. Go, Dongs.
And it was a good decision.
She got the ticket to Hollywood.
Congratulations. Welcome.
I think I'm gonna die.
No, don't die. You
just got the ticket.
This is very important.
You're off to
Hollywood. Go celebrate.
Thank you! Vegas style.
Thank you.
J.Lo from George. I loved it.
Mwah! I love you guys. Bye!
♪ You know life
is cruel, life is ♪
♪ Kind hearts don't
make a new story ♪
♪ We're the kids
in America, oh ♪
♪ We're the kids
in America, oh ♪
♪ Everybody lives for
the music-go-round ♪
Yes.
Oh, no!
Oh. Oh.
Oh, no.
Oh.
Ohh. Rocked a little too hard.
Madison.
I rocked and rolled too hard.
Katy has come...
Some people pay for that.
Oh, that's a
good look. I like it.
Katy. Luke. Madison.
Hold on. Sorry.
Can you just let him borrow
the guitar for one second?
Yeah, totally.
I need him to sing
"Achy Breaky Heart."
Oh, yeah.
Turn it up.
♪ Don't tell my heart,
my achy breaky heart ♪
♪ You might not think
he'd understand ♪
♪ And if you tell my heart,
your achy breaky heart ♪
♪ I might blow up
and k*ll this man ♪
♪ Ooh ♪ Whoo!
Oh, man, that was...
May we hope you never
get to that part of your career.
Whoo! All right!
Oh! Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh.
It's a beautiful
guitar. Thank you.
Madison. Madison.
Look what you've done.
I know.
I know where
she's going. I know.
You have been given the crown.
Oh, this is classic.
The mullet is in style.
Obviously several people
have brought it back.
Are these mullet
a choice? Mullets.
Probably the proudest
thing I've ever done.
All right.
Let's go, baby.
Bring it home. Let's go, baby.
That's what I'm talking
about. - Oh, my God.
That's what I'm talking
about. How y'all doing?
How are you? I'm great, man.
Well, tell us who you are.
Trey Louis, AKA
Trey from the Fe.
2... Yes, sir. 21 years old.
- I'm a mattress salesman.
- We are too.
Oh, really?
21 years old, "American
Idol," thank you very much.
Mattress salesman.
I'm a mattress salesman.
And I'm born and raised
in Santa Fe, Texas.
I love it. Trey from the Fe.
Yes, sir. Have you
ever caught anybody
trying to have a little
whoopie in the store?
No, no, no, no, no.
It's a good question.
I've... I've had a
I've had people
come in and ask questions
regarding how good
you can perform on
the bed, but... Really?
I can kind of give them, like,
"Yeah, man, you know,
this one bounces good"
or "This one has a
good firmness to it."
Yeah, exactly. Yep.
I love you. That's so good.
You're 21, and so
you're not in school.
No. Yeah. No, I'm
full-time mattress salesman.
Slinging spring, baby.
Wow. All right, what
you gonna sing there?
I'm gonna sing "Stone"
by Whiskey Myers.
Oh, sweet. Mm-hmm.
All right.
♪ Well, the night
is my companion ♪
Oh, I love him.
♪ And the highway is my home ♪
♪ Got me seeking
for one last beacon ♪
♪ Every single place I roam ♪
♪ Ohh ♪
♪ They say Jesus
was a poor man ♪
♪ I guess I wish I had
a little more him in me ♪
♪ Make it easier
going on living ♪
Wow.
I love his range.
♪ Heartache and misery ♪
♪ Sweet, sweet heart of mine ♪
♪ I'm gonna break
again a million times ♪
♪ Is this too far gone? ♪
♪ Have you turned to stone? ♪
♪ Sweet, sweet heart of mine ♪
♪ I'm gonna break
again a million times ♪
♪ Is this too far gone? ♪
♪ Have you turned to stone? ♪
Yeah? You think so?
Man, y'all better sit down, man.
Y'all better sit down.
Man, you're singing
from just the perfect spot.
Oh, absolutely.
You throw that head
back. You close them eyes.
And you got the perfect voice.
It's been interesting.
You start wondering
when the Chris Stapleton
disciples will start showing up,
and you've probably
driven around in your truck
learning Chris Stapleton
and trying your
butt to sing like him.
Yes, sir. Why are
you doing "Idol"?
Man, so "American
Idol," number one,
is kind of where people
that I enjoy make it.
Number two is, as I said before,
I'm from Santa Fe, Texas.
In May 2018,
a g*nman walked into my school.
I was in art room one.
He shot up art room two
before he made his
way to art room one.
Uh, lost a lot of friends.
Eight students were k*lled.
Two teachers were k*lled.
And it's just really
been negative, man.
Santa Fe has had a
bad rap here since 2018.
Man, you just got
the perfect voice.
You sang from the right
spot. You just... Yeah.
You let it come
out of your heart.
And that's what we
love around here.
What you doing, Katy?
Our country has failed us.
Facts.
This is not okay.
You should be singing
here because you love music.
It's true.
Not because you had
to go through that
I agree.
You don't have to
lose eight friends.
I hope that you remind
people that we have to change.
'Cause, you know
what, I'm scared too.
It's terrible,
Katy. It's horrible.
We have tolerated
this for so long.
For too long. It's
become a norm.
And we've got to change.
True. I agree.
And I hope you can just lead.
Can you do me that favor?
For myself, for my school,
for you, yeah. Yes,
ma'am. Thank you.
Thank you. Yes, ma'am.
I want to vote on this young
man because I think you've done
exactly what you
were supposed to do.
You have a yes from me.
Thank you, Lionel.
And I can't wait to
see you in Hollywood.
Yes, sir.
Luke?
Y... I can't talk.
Yes. Thank you, Luke.
Thank you, Luke. You're perfect.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Yes.
Thank y'all so much.
Awesome. Can I come up?
Yeah! You sure can.
Let me wipe my sweaty palms.
Come on, dude.
To hug Luke Bryan.
Dude, this is crazy. Good job.
And Katy freakin' Perry.
This is crazy.
Lionel Richie. Come on,
man. Don't even play around.
Wait, wait, now.
We've never been this close
when we've ever
said this to somebody.
All right. Are you
ready for this?
Uh-huh. Okay.
You're going to Hollywood.
Let's go, baby. Let's go.
Right over there. Right
over there. Pick it up.
Whoo!
That's what I'm talking about.
I'll see y'all
in California, baby.
Hollywood!
Let's go.
Thank you.
Whew.
God. I like it.
Didn't get it.
You're lying.
I got it. I got it.
Oh, baby.
They loved me.
It's important for me to
share my story for my hometown.
For Parkland. For Columbine.
For Las Vegas.
And so many others.
What we go through every day
because of what happened
is terrible.
But there is light, you know,
there is positivity,
and you just have
to go chase it.
Santa Fe, I'm not stopping.
I got all the motivation
behind me.
I got all of you guys behind me.
What a blessing this really is.
I'm ready to spill the tea.
The ladies at church
call me Luke.
Oh, my God.
You're in the dream now.
You're one of the best
I've personally seen.
I'm looking at like
a young Luke Bryan.
And if you're not
emotionally available enough
to know what you want, hang up.
Get away from here.
What are you saying?
She's undone it!
And that was just one of those
moments I will never forget.
Welcome to our World! Where we serve you cookies to ensure you get the best viewing experience on our site.
Did you know that you can remove censorship board-wide, use our advanced search functions, be notified when new content is posted, join our memberships, set episodes to show in any order you want & more if you are logged into your account?
Register or sign in here: ucp.php?mode=register
Did you know that you can remove censorship board-wide, use our advanced search functions, be notified when new content is posted, join our memberships, set episodes to show in any order you want & more if you are logged into your account?
Register or sign in here: ucp.php?mode=register
21x02 - 602 (Auditions)
Watch/Buy Amazon
It started as an addition to the Idol format that was based on Pop Idol from British television, in which the programme's first series, which was won by Will Young, ended over four months before the show began, as it later became one of the most successful shows in the history of American television.
It started as an addition to the Idol format that was based on Pop Idol from British television, in which the programme's first series, which was won by Will Young, ended over four months before the show began, as it later became one of the most successful shows in the history of American television.