The American Idol 2012 auditions episodes wrapped Thursday night and even though I couldn’t be happier, I do have to say St. Louis showed us some pretty good talent.
Opening with a reminder that Carrie Underwood first auditioned in St. Louis in 2004, the night was filled with performers hoping to follow in her footsteps.
The Standouts
Johnny Keyser. What a great start to the night with this guy. He has an amazing tone, nice runs and a touch of soul. The judges loved him and Jennifer even said “You know you’re going to be a star?” Let’s hope so. He’s one of the best auditions I’ve seen this season. And on top of that, he’s got a great look and attitude.
Rachelle Lamb. Her story seems to be the theme of the season: good singer who got married and had children; held back by husband; husband has split and it’s time for her to chase her dream again. She’s been bottling up a lot of passion because it came out in her audition. She has a lot of great energy to match her nice tone and soft country twang.
Reis Kloeckener. This guy looks like a kid, but at 20, I guess he’s not. His Bieber hair annoyed me at first, but when he told his timely story of being bullied and then sang in the sweetest tone I changed my mind. I guess I approve. His voice doesn’t seem to have a lot of power, but there’s an emotion he has when he sings that makes it easy to connect to him.
Ethan Jones. These are the kinds of artists I like. They’re modest and sweet but can also really sing. There’s nothing worse than a singer who is too cocky. Confidence is great, cockiness is not.
Lauren Gray. The best for last? Perhaps. Actually, with Johnny going first in the episode, I’d like to say they saved the best for first and last. Lauren is a singer in a southern rock band with her dad and the moment she started singing it was clear that she needs to be performing on a much larger stage. Her voice was is so powerful and everything about her singing is effortless. She’s a natural.
By the end of the American Idol St. Louis auditions, they handed out 46 tickets to Hollywood. And those rounds start next week. Expect some great drama as some early favorites fall short and some stars emerge. If you can’t wait until Hollywood week is over to find out the Top 24, we can hook you up. Just check out our American Idol spoilers.
As a viewer >>
What is the point of watching two auditions which have no contestant in the 24 top . ???
Johnny is one of the best of the best! I hope he goes all the way. He has the voice, the look, the stage presence……….
Johnny Keyser and Lauren Grey both of them have a great voice,and also on of the best favourite American Idol season 11 but if American idol spoilers true they did’nt go to top 24 I really Upset and this episode audition just funny,ridicilous,and anticlimax,to manny early favourite idol cut in the first like Scott Dangerfield or David Leathers Jr,I Hope the spoiler is wrong!!.
I thought Johnny and Lauren were great as well!!! We all should know by now…after 10 seasons of Idol…great people can fall apart in Hollywood Week, and others that nobody thought too much of can totally come to the forefront and blow us and the judges away. I always get attached to contestants, so I understand being upset, but let’s wait and see what happens in Hollywood week. I do hope the spoiler is right about Hollie Cavanagh though, because she was one last year that I did not think anything of her until she got to Hollywood Week, and I have been hoping all year that she would come back.
I think a lot can happen once contestants get to the live shows as well. A lot of people I think lose themselves on the live shows and never live up to the hype of their auditions. Some are just strong throughout…you just never know. This is part of what makes American Idol so interesting.
hey is next week Hollywood week already, or there is still 1 last audition stop?? 😀
I really loved Johnny and Lauren last night and I am already disappointed that they don’t make it. Infact, nobody made it from St. Louis. Now I am more curious than ever as to why some of these performers didn’t make it…
Sometimes I think thats the reason they leak those spoilers so now we’ll all watch to see why they didn’t make it…DUH!!!! instead of who made it..LOL
@Phyllis G. , I felt the same and wondered how come these 2 did not made it to the top 24. My guess is either they fell apart in the group songs or the remaining 24 were so good that these 2 did not made the cut. I had decided that I’m going to by-pass the show until the top 24
eliminations starts, since there is nothing that is going to change from now till then and it will only p#%*d me off if I happen to like one person
that the judges did not chose during Hollywood week. Besides after the big game finishes this sunday, The Voice is starting, I have a feeling it will be better than last year. I saw the Video of the “Unmentionable”
and I say wow!! You must be thrilled!!
Like I said you know me to well…..I can’t wait for The Voice to start. I really like the judges, the voting, the format. I just enjoy it. I willwatch Idol all the way thru because I am soooo curious as to why some of these performers were not picked.
Don’t be jealous but he is remarkable……the “unmentionable one”
BTW…GO GIANTS!!!!!
yawn, yawn, yawn. last night’s show was so wonderful my husband fell asleep and i concentrated on my knitting
Reise G. gave me complete goose bumps on his first note! he has an angle voice and a winner in my book!!
After watching “The Voice” tonight , I am hoping that the final 24 on American Idol will be as good as the first batch of singers chosen tonight.
It seems that the level and quality of the singers are far away in comparison.
I also noticed the level of excitement displayed by the 4 Judges/Mentors
on The Voice is so much more exciting to watch because they are excited
as well. Rather than the very tired expressions of the bored looking judges
we have on AI so far as we have noticed in the previous auditions. I am
not being too picky but I liked what I saw in The Voice and got me glued
to the show right away.
I realize that most of the people that audition on The Voice are already
trained singers and had done performances on a professional level. But I saw more of what I am looking for in a competetion than both Idol and
Xfactor in just one night of watching. It will take a lot for me not to continue
following The Voice and I may decide to wait until AI choose the final 12
before I tune in again. Finally a singing competetion worth watching and
worth waiting for, just my humble opnion folks.
Hello Ed……I totally agree. The Voice is a great show. The judges get on each other but don’t overdo it (like the X-Factor). The talent is excellent (no 5 minutes of fame). I really enjoy this show but I dvr everything so I will still be watching AI, etc………tonight is Smash which I will be watching also……..Do you get the impression that I’m a TV junkie? LOL…..
Hi Phyllis G , not anymore than most of us! Although I only tune in to
shows like AI, Xfactor and the Voice, since I am a music nut case.
If I am not watching, I usually am picking at my guitar or something.
It is interesting to see Katherine Mcphee in a series show, she was one
of my favourite AI Alumni, I have seen her one time with David Foster
on a special and she was brilliant. I prefer her much better than Taylor,
though he was a good singer too. Enjoy tonite’s 2nd blind audition, I was at Branden’s commentaries on “Voicefandom” and he say’s tonite’s
2nd audition is even better that last night. See you at that site 🙂