REAGAN MILLS, KATY PERRY
American Idol Season 22 took a brief break so that ABC could air the Academy Awards. Now it’s back to continue those exciting auditions. This year’s hopefuls might be one of the show’s most exciting bunch. Therefore, we can’t wait to meet more of them. American Idol 2024 judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan continue the return to their hometowns to seek out new great singers.
The hometown visits have introduced us to great singers and given us a little insight into the judge’s history and lives. It’s been the best of both worlds.
Tonight’s auditions hopefully continue the show’s hot streak. I want to debate who should win because I am so torn about all the amazing performers. If they give us four weeks of outstanding auditions, we’re in for a major treat during Hollywood Week and beyond. Currently, the contestants seem evenly matched in talent, popularity, and potential. No one has pulled so far ahead of the others. It’s only been the audition round, but sometimes a clear frontrunner shines at the first note.
A not-set winner makes for a more exciting season. Let’s get into the audition recaps.
Week 4 Auditions
Let’s see who shines tonight.
The show starts with a history lesson from Lionel and talks about his experience in Tuskegee. Then Deida Jeudy comes out to audition. She talks about her younger siblings. Three of them are visually impaired. She sings “River” by Leon Bridges. Katy calls her voice timeless. Lionel says she’s natural and Luke is impressed by her vocal gymnastics. She’s going to Hollywood.
Elleigh Marie talks about growing up as a military kid and having to step up with her father not around and her mother suffering from several conditions, including thyroid disease. She sings “I Can’t Make You Love Me” by Bonnie Rait. Katy says she starts off average but lands it. Luke says he thinks she’s top ten. They bring her family in to talk about her. She’s going to Hollywood.
Athena Jett has her younger sister accompanying her. Before her audition, she talks about her anxiety about performing. After her first performance, the judges aren’t sure about Athena. Her sister mentions “Never Enough” from The Greatest Showman as a better audition song. She performs that. This helps her and the judges let her go to Hollywood.
Quintavious sings “Alabaster Box” by Cece Winans. Katy says his performance was healing. Luke says he has a rawness to his voice. Katy advises him to find new tricks to show he’s a jack of all trades.
Payton Riley sings an original song called “Fireflies” about her ex-boyfriend. She gets emotional talking about it. Katy, Lionel, and Luke all give her some advice on the evolution of her artistry. Katy says no but thinks she should come back in a few years. Lionel echoes the sentiment. Luke gives her a yes so she doesn’t get three rejections. They give him some advice. Katy gives him a yes, Lionel a no, and Luke a yes. He’s going to Hollywood.
Dave Fio sings “Save Me” by Jelly Roll. He talks about his weight loss journey before his audition. He’s going to Hollywood.
Reagan Mills sings “Easy on Me” by Adele. Luke stops his performance to send Katy to get him to push his performance to another level. She walks to him while he’s singing on the piano and stares at him. He then sings some of “Is My Living in Vain” by the Clark Sisters. His family comes in to help him sing. Lionel says he has his own style and is an artist. They all give him yess
Julia Davo sings “Life on Mars” by David Bowie. She’s friends with Alyssa Raghu who previously appeared on two Idol seasons. Lionel says she reminds him of the feeling he got when first seeing Lady Gaga. Katy and Luke seem unsure about her talent for American Idol. Katy and Luke give her a no. They bring Alyssa into the room.
They tell Alyssa to bring Julia back when they think she’s ready. Alyssa also asks to sing “for giggles.” They allow it. She sings “My All” by Mariah Carey. She then says she never competed as an adult, so wonders if she still can audition for this season. Katy gives her a no because she doesn’t think she can win this season and she would want to send her if she can win.
They allow Alyssa to go to Hollywood to rejoin the show. This all happens in front of Julia.
Amari sings “Toxic” by Brittney Spears. Katy challenges her to sing a song that gives them more of her. She talks about being trans and how “She Used to Be Mine” by Sara Bareilles represents her journey. Katy says Idol is about telling stories. Luke says the performance was powerful but he thinks she will have some challenges with Idol. He says she struggled with the high notes. Katy and Lionel give her a yes to Hollywood, but Luke is a no. She’s going to Hollywood.
Conall Gorman sings his original song “Backseat.” Luke says he started good but kind of lost a bit as he went on. Katy says he has a really interesting voice. It’s unique to him. However, Katy says she looking for something else. Lionel gives him a yes, as does Katy and Luke. He’s going to Hollywood.
Michael Rice sings “Because Of You” by Kelly Clarkson. It’s a song that reminds him of his deceased father. He talks a little about growing up in a rough area with a teen mom barely getting by. He also explains how his father’s drug addiction kept him out of his life as a child, but they reconnected at 18. Then he later died from a heart attack because of the drug complications. They talk about how emotional his performance was and how he sang his butt off.
Segments
What wacky thing will the judges do next? We get a montage of some yeses and some noes, but mainly people who didn’t move to the next round. This leads to a moo-off between Luke and Katy to see who wins the debate to send someone to the next round.
Katy and her mother face Luke and Lionel in a pickleball tournament. Katy and her mom beat them badly.
Come back next Sunday for another American Idol 2024 recap. Keep it here all season for more American Idol news, recaps, spoilers, exclusives, and much more.