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Well POO I forgot all about this last night. I wanted to watch the new show Instinct and then of course NCIS LA and then Madame Secretary  .

  'American Idol' Recap: Contenders Emerge as the Auditions Heat Up
Sunday, March 18, 2018

Bill King
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV

American Idol is back! Okay, perhaps a week into the return of the iconic singing competition is enough time to get over the wonderment of a reboot on a new network with new judges. But even though it's early, I'll admit I have some doubts about whether the trio of Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie can uncover the next superstar.

It's not that they don't have an eye for talent or even that they love everyone. I'm actually fine with reserving harsh criticism for later on, particularly when they're still developing their chemistry. But there's a difference between being a star and making a star.

 

Since the departure of Simon Cowell and, to a lesser extent, the Dawg Randy Jackson, the panel has missed someone with a hyperfocus on cultivating talent as much as appreciating it. Having Jimmy Iovine as a mentor was a nice attempt. However, we need someone who might be less of a celebrity but with more foresight.

 Big-name judges know what it takes to get to the top, but are they savvy enough to develop and guide someone else on that journey? The tricky part is finding a behind-the-scenes type with Simon-like charisma to shoulder that load while still packing the seats. 

 

So was it too soon to bring American Idol back, when the last few seasons failed to churn out the next Kelly Clarkson or Carrie Underwood? Would a few more years haven given way to the next generation of artists starving for an opportunity? Time will tell, but for now, it's off to Los Angeles, Nashville, New York City and Savannah for a look at some more contenders hoping to break the post-Phillip Phillips dry spell.

 

The Good

 Georgia brings a collection of seasoned musicians, but leading off is 20-year-old karaoke specialist Crystal Alicea. She used to get bullied about her weight and told she wasn't good enough, and she used music (and her boyfriend) to cope with depression. Her rendition of Sam Smith's "Lay Me Down" is an eff you to everyone who didn't believe in her, and she's talented but undeniably raw with the lack of professional experience. Katy dubs her "a little star" who she would follow on Instagram. 

After Lionel breaks his chair and takes a tumble, Luke and Katy repeatedly prank him with a whoopee Cushion before asking 23-year-old horse-training, trick-riding cowgirl Kristyn Harris to use said fake fart contraption for a cow milking lesson. 

 Her take on Patsy Montana's "I Wanna Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart" sparks a knee-slappin' square dance, prompting Luke to call her a one-woman show.. She goes through despite a no from Katy, who believes that her delivery is unique and interesting but not right for American Idol. Luke also points out that yodeling doesn't bring in the masses, but they want to see what she can do with the opportunity.

Jonny Brenns is 6-foot-5 at 18, and his family doesn't know he's auditioning. He took a Greyhound bus to perform his original song "Blue Jeans," and he's sweet but sleepy, more soul than power. Luke wonders if he can "dig in" and makes him sing Michael Buble as a test, and he's headed to Hollywood despite a no from Lionel, who believes he needs two years of seasoning. Then they call his parents to break the news. He's got "swallowed up by the big stage" written all over him.

Next up is 22-year-old Ricky Manning, whose original song is about Los Angeles being lonely for dream-chasing transplants. He has a decent bluesy voice and screeches too much, but Katy in particular relates to the subject matter. She hears her own story, and Lionel offers props for the songwriting. 

Effie Passero is a 26-year-old office manager who moved to LA to build her empire, and she blows the judges away with an original song. The delivery can only be described as "belting it out," and Lionel checks her back for an extra volume dial. It's good when a person can sound this amazing while screaming, but I see her forging big emotional connections when she tailors the power to fit the tone of a song. 

Country boy Caleb Lee Hutchinson drove through the night after a show and cleaned up in a truck stop bathroom. His parents are his biggest fans and think he's going to win, and his dad calls him "the retirement plan." He does a quality Luke Bryan impression before launching into the Steeldrivers "If It Hadn't Been for Love," and it's a solid representation for the genre. His voice makes Lionel smile, and Katy finds his texture and comfort on stage unique. Luke cautions him not to overdo the vibrato, though, and only use it when necessary.

 Screaming to Find a Home

 Katy waxes poetic about seeing Luke in concert and wondering who the heck this guy was, singing about "Huntin', Fishin' and Lovin' Every Day," and now she's going to spend a year of her life sitting next to him. Then Johnny White from Hickory, North Carolina, tells his sob story about a drug-addicted mom and a dad in prison.

 He was adopted when he was 7, but it wasn't until he met vocal coach Ms. Finley that he opened up and realized his dreams of being a singer. She says he was timid and lacked confidence, but he became a different person in front of a microphone.

His "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" is completely over the top, but it's clear he's got chops. Lionel reminds him of the need for foreplay and has him sing again while literally holding his shoulders to keep him from oversinging. Katy dubs him Top 10 material. 

Continuing the trend is 27-year-old Les Greene, who used to be homeless. But what the family lacked in food, they made up for in love, and he's brought his mom along for the ride. He's rocking red saddle shoes, suspenders and a killer hat, and it's Sam Cooke's "A Change is Gonna Come" -- or whatever you'd call it if it was screeched at the top of your lungs. Maybe "A CHANGE IS GONNA COME."

 Luke likens him to a Ferrari because he's powerful but the wrong curve going too fast will get you killed. He's so strong and so raw that Lionel just wants to put a perm on it. Katy loves his style and presentation, but she's concerned that he'll lose his voice if he doesn't learn to rein it in. They vote to polish him up.

I Could've Been Will Be a Contender

 Shannon O'Hara is 17 and works as a full-time nanny to help her family pay the bills after her dad lost his job, but still the family may lose their home in North Carolina. She sings Adele's "When We Were Young," and it might be a twinge too big for her but not by much. She delivers the first goosebumps of the night for me, and she's one to watch. 

The contenders continue to emerge, and you'll want to keep your eye on 26-year-old Amelia Hammer Harris. Her dad is the late Jack Hammer, who co-wrote "Great Balls of Fire" and who she didn't meet until she was 16. But genetics don't lie, and her rendition of The Rolling Stones' "Gimme Shelter" is among the most polished we've seen so far. She's got her own quirky style and wants to succeed on her own terms, and Katy is shocked that she hasn't already made it. 

Milo and Julian Sposato are 17-year-old twins from Malibu who look a lot like Bruno Mars, and after Ryan Seacrest makes them guess what the other is thinking ("carrot" and "sloth") in a game of "Twintuition," they crush "Runaway Baby" with their dad on the guitar. Katy calls it "dope" and asks if there are two number one spots available. Luke tells them to "start wrapping your heads around being big stars."

My Best Friend is the Next American Idol

 Closing out the show is 19-year-old Maddie Zahm and her best friend Marcus, who has Down syndrome. She was active as a child, but then she gained 100 pounds in a year due to a hormone imbalance called PCOS. She lost her friends and her confidence, which led to her abandoning music. 

 

Then one day, she accidentally walked into a class for kids with disabilities and heard Marcus singing a Katy Perry song. It was the best mistake she's ever made, and she could sense he needed a friend as well. They go on adventures together, and he changed her life by seeing the things in her for which she wants to be seen. 

 

Her confidence restored, she's ready to chase her dreams. And Marcus is by her side, sporting a T-shirt that reads "My best friend is the next American Idol." He sits with the judges for her inspired rendition of Dua Lipa's "New Rules," and Luke is adorably stoked that she's good. It might lack a tiny bit of spunk, but Luke encourages her to push herself, bring it from down deep and let it fly without timidness. 

 Then Maddie and Marcus sing "Firework," tears are shed and they all take a group selfie. 

 The Rejected

 There's a slew of bad original songs, including one gal who asks the judges to snap along. They do, but she doesn't sing anything. Then she asks them to snap slower.

 Tyler "Cougar" Gordon is from a "hick town" in central Illinois, and he claims he can hit all eight octaves if he's properly warmed up. Katy headbangs to his horrific rendition of Judas Priest's "Grinder" that hits zero octaves, and it's three no's. Thank god because for a brief period, I thought I was going to need another "The Yes That Should Be a No" section. 

A montage of people attempting to impress the judges with gifts of flowers, sweets and a Katy Perry leg tattoo ends with cosmetics salesman Ryan Zamo. He delivers skin care products and an off-key musical theatre version of Sara Bareilles' "Gravity." Katy calls it the "worst rendition I've ever heard."

 Baby, You're a Firework

Well, there you have it! Dare I say my confidence is restored? This was a dynamic group of performers with poise and polish, and there's a few more with raw talent that simply need massaging. I still don't know if we have any superstars, but I'm certainly feeling better about it than I was before.

 Shannon O'Hara, Amelia Hammer Harris and twins Milo and Julian Sposato were the standouts, but there were some promising country artists (if you're into that) and a half dozen or so scream-singers who could be in the mix if they can tone it down to a reasonable level. 

 Who were your favorites and what moments gave you goosebumps? Who is in it for the long haul and do any of them have the potential to become household names? Can the belters learn to overcome bad habits or will they refuse to change? Finally, do you still have faith in the franchise's ability to produce a hitmaker or are we in for more of the same regarding recent history? (Again, time will tell, and we're still just getting started.) Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

 

American Idol season 16 airs Sundays and Mondays at 8/7c on ABC. Want more news? Like our American Idol Facebook page.

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