Original subtitles

Katy: Oh! Here we go on the Oregon Trail.

♪ Yeah, I'm gonna take my horse to the old town road ♪

♪ I'm gonna... ♪

[ Horse whinnies, eagle screeches ]

♪ Ride till I can't no more ♪

♪ Yeah, I'm gonna take my horse to the old town road ♪

♪ I'm gonna ride till I can't no more ♪

Lionel: I can't wait to see what talent Oregon

is gonna bring tonight!

♪ Ride till I can't no more ♪

Katy: You're probably the best singer we've seen today.

Man: Wow!

Luke: You are a superstar.

Woman: Like, oh, my God.

♪ Ride till I can't no more ♪

Luke: Giddy up! [ FOOT SQUISHES ]

Katy: Oh, shoot, I just stepped in some mud.

Luke: Katy, that ain't mud.

Katy: Oh, my God.

[ Luke and Lionel laughing ]

♪♪

♪ Here I come ♪

Lionel: So far, we've been getting some great talent.

But have you ever noticed

that right when we get a little tired,

someone comes in and blows us away?

Yup. Yup.

♪ Whoo! ♪

Anybody want a walking octopus? MAN: Me.

That's the beauty of "Idol," is it pulls so many characters

out of the woodwork that are untouched.

When we travel, we go out to all the nooks and crannies.

Lionel: I've got a good feeling

someone's gonna come through here today

and wreck it for us.

♪ I feel marvelous ♪

Yep. I'm looking forward to that diamond in the rough.

"American Idol," here we go.

♪ I'mma do what I do ♪

Katy: Hello. Lionel: Hey.

Luke: Howdy.

Oh, my gosh.

How are ya?

I'm well, how are you?

I am very well, thank you.

Robert: Great, great.

What is your name, your age, and where are you from?

Oh, my God, you're so gorgeous.

Thank you so much, I pay a lot of money for it.

[ Laughs ] Okay.

My name is Robert Taylor,

I am from Donaldsonville, Louisiana,

and I'm 27 years old.

What are you gonna share with us today?

"Bruises" by Lewis Capaldi.

Okay. Yeah, okay.

[ Breathes deeply ]

[ Clears throat ]

Katy: Are you okay?

I'm just, like, so terrified.

Why?

This is your shot.

Yeah. Okay.

Katy: This is it.

Okay. Throw it out there, come on.

You're finally living your authentic truth.

Okay.

[PIANO PLAYING]

♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh ♪

♪ Mmm ♪

♪ I've been told, I've been told to get you off my mind ♪

♪ I hope I don't lose the bruises that you left behind ♪

♪ Oh, my lord, oh, my lord, I need you in my life ♪

♪ There must be something in the water ♪

♪ 'Cause every day it's getting colder ♪

♪ I wish that I could hold ya ♪

♪ You'd keep my head from going under ♪

[VOCALIZING]

Good. Very good.

Never, ever, ever be scared to do that.

Amazing.

Very good.

Oh, God.

Katy: Uh, Lionel, what are you thinking?

Lionel: I think he's amazing.

I think your voice is absolutely incredible.

When you're talking to us, you seem shy,

and you sat at that piano, and you turned into...the artist.

[ Sighs ] Thank you.

I love what you're about. Wow.

How did this all start in the first place?

The reason I'm here is really because of my dad.

Um, he passed in January.

This show is one of the things that he really wanted me to do.

This was his dream, as well.

His biggest thing was owning my true self.

He was like, "If you want to do this,

and you want to be out there, you show them who you are."

That's what I'm doing. I just want to give you guys me.

Hopefully you guys can feel me, feel my heart, feel my soul.

Growing up, it was really hard.

I was a church boy.

I wasn't allowed to listen to other styles of music.

It was strictly a gospel home, you know?

And when the other kids went to parties,

nah, I was at a bible study.

♪ Swallow me whole ♪

It was also hard because I was not allowed to be myself.

I'm a gay man, and it wasn't until last year

that I finally just accepted that.

But because of me owning my truth,

a lot of family just kind of disowned me.

My dad was the only person in my life

that accepted me fully.

When I told him, he just smiled at me,

and he was like, you know, "Son, I'm just proud.

I'm proud of you."

You know, unfortunately, he just-- he lost, um,

that fight to drug addiction.

♪♪

He provided an environment,

um, with, um, unconditional love.

And he taught me that it's okay to be me,

and to be proud in who I am, and that,

to him, is what a man is.

That's what I want to represent.

I want to touch someone's life out there

and just let them know if I can do it, then you can do it too.

You've been in an environment where people built you up,

people have not built you up,

but I think we're all about building you up,

giving you even more confidence.

I just thought it was a perfectly done audition.

I think you're such a good singer that now is the time

to figure out what kind of artist you want to be,

and really dial it in.

Because it's not just about a voice-- it's "American Idol,"

it's about a bunch of different boxes. Yeah.

But we want to help you find those boxes.

Okay.

Yes.

Yes.

What a ride. It's a yes from me.

You're going to Hollywood, Robert Taylor III!

Come on.

[ Lionel chuckles ] Thank y'all.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

You're welcome. Thank you.

Great job. Thank you.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Robert Taylor III, huh?

Yeah. Bring it on.

Yes, sir. Bring it on.

Yes, sir, yes, sir.

Very good. Thank you.

For Robert Taylor II.

Aww, so great.

There's a lot of us here to support you, okay?

And it's gonna be fun.

Okay. We're gonna make it fun.

[ Laughs ]

Thank you, guys! [ Chuckles ]

Aah! Thank you, guys.

Enjoy. Celebrate.

Yes. Thank you, guys.

Y'all have a great one. Katy: Sweetie.

That's a lot to go through, losing you father

and coming out, all at the same time. Yep.

♪ I don't care if I sing off-key ♪

♪ I found myself in my melodies ♪

Robert: This means a lot.

This is the first time in my life I allowed myself

to be seen and allow people to see me.

And, um...

And it went so good.

I was embraced.

Mm.

Wow.

It's amazing. This is amazing.

♪ Oh ♪

♪ I shout it out like a bird set free ♪

♪♪

♪ Now I got a confession ♪

♪ When I was young, I wanted attention ♪

♪ When I grow up, I wanna be famous ♪

♪ I wanna be a star, I wanna be in movies ♪

♪ I wanna see the world, drive nice cars ♪

♪ I wanna have groupies ♪

♪ Careful what you wish for, 'cause you just might get it ♪

♪ Yeah, you just... ♪

[ Cracking ] Lionel: Ouch.

Katy: Hey!

Come on!

[GUITAR PLAYING]

"American...Idol."

Jafar.

Jafar!

Come on.

[ Trills tongue ]

[ Cracking ] Luke: Oh!

Ah!

Thank you so much.

You're welcome.

And you didn't tear any ACLs, MCLs, meniscus, patella?

Not at all.

If your singing was as good as your dancing,

then there's something to look at.

But it's a no for right now for "Idol."

Luke: Thank you, Jafar.

Thank you, Jafar. Thank you so much.

Take care, now. ♪ Take these broken wings ♪

Jafar: Well, I think they made a mistake.

Yes, I don't have the best vocal abilities, but I can learn.

So if they would've worked with me, you know,

gave me a couple lessons, hey, you would've had one of the best

performers on the show this year.

Well, Jafar's wings may have been clipped,

but our next contestant was hoping

she could spread hers and fly.

Hello.

Howdy! Katy: Hi. Alright.

Lionel: Well, alright. Hey, guys.

Luke: How you doing? I'm good, how are you?

We are drawing very near to the end of Milwaukee.

Yes.

Tell us who you are.

I'm Grace Leer.

I'm from Danville, California, originally,

but I moved to Nashville a little over two years ago.

Luke: Good deal. Yeah.

Have you, uh, ever auditioned for stuff like this?

I have, um, way back when.

I was 11 years old,

and I auditioned for "American Juniors."

♪♪

It was basically a kid version of "American Idol."

♪ With love ♪

Ryan: Grace Leer, America!

You got fans out in the audience, some nice signage.

I remember that almost like it was yesterday.

I know. And were you--

Like, I can't remember exactly what you did, but were you good?

I made it to the top 20, so I hope I was good.

Alright, that's good. Yeah.

So catch me up on the last almost 20 years.

Oh, my gosh.

When I was 14, I was faced with a choice

whether to do music full time or to just be a normal kid,

and I really just chose the normality of going to school

and just being a normal kid.

I think I've grown a lot since I've been 11.

Now I'm living in Nashville, I put a band together,

and I'm doing country music, so...

I feel like now's the time for a still shot or B roll of us

at that stage, on that stage.

Go. Exactly.

Oh, my gosh! I can't believe my hair!

[ Laughs ]

Great to see you again, good luck.

So good to see you.

Ryan Seacrest was the host at that point too,

which it was really fun seeing him today.

Does he look the same?

Actually, yeah, which is, like, kind of scary.

That's Seacrest number two out there.

Oh. The other one...

He's a clone, got it.

Yeah, the other's one in bed getting ready to wake up

at 4 a.m. to host "Kelly and Ryan."

Yeah. "Kelly and Ryan," yeah, right.

[ Chuckles ]

Um, yeah. So it's been really great being here.

But "American Juniors" was a good experience, for sure.

What are you gonna sing today?

I'm singing "Crowded Table" by The Highwomen.

It's off of their new record.

Alright, let's hear it.

Okay. Thank you.

[ Clears throat ]

♪ You can hold my hand ♪

♪ When you need to let go ♪

♪ I can be your mountain ♪

♪ When you're feeling valley-low ♪

♪ I can be your streetlight ♪

♪ Showing you the way home ♪

Wow.

♪ You can hold my hand ♪

♪ When you need to let go ♪

♪ I want a house with a crowded table ♪

♪ And a place by the fire for everyone ♪

♪ Let us take on the world while we're young and able ♪

♪ And bring us back together when the day is done ♪

♪ My door is always open ♪

♪ Your picture's on my wall ♪

♪ Everyone's a little broken ♪

♪ But everyone belongs ♪

♪ Yeah, everyone belongs ♪

Luke: Wow. Lionel: Very good.

Can you sing something, like, really sad country?

The first thing that comes to mind is "Crazy,"

but I guess that's not a sad song.

Your voice is a lot like that.

Grace: Yeah, no, I love Patsy Cline.

♪ Crazy ♪

♪ I'm crazy for feeling ♪

♪ So lonely ♪

♪ I'm crazy ♪

♪ Crazy for feeling so blue ♪

♪ I knew you'd love me ♪

♪ As long as you wanted ♪

♪ And then someday ♪

♪ You'd leave me for somebody new ♪

Good deal. It's clear.

I don't have to suss out who the artist is,

I like the way you interpret, your voice is cutting through.

Thank you. You deal well with on-the-spot.

That was on the spot.

[ Chuckles ] Thank you.

I love the texture of your voice.

Oh, thank you.

Uh, I only saw a little bit

of that kind of beautiful, authentic country yodel.

I love it so much, I would never steer away from it.

I mean, obviously it's the secret sauce of your voice.

It's an instant identity, it's undeniably you.

It sounds like a classic situation right off the bat,

and it's not forced, and it's great and easy to listen to.

Thank you. That means a lot.

Luke: Let's vote.

Yeah, I just want to say...

♪♪

[ Crying ]

That's okay. It's okay.

[ Voice breaking ] Just means a lot to hear that.

It's okay to cry. Yeah.

It just means a lot to hear that from people like you,

because you know how Nashville is.

[ Scoffs ]

I mean, it's competitive, it's saturated,

and so to hear that, like, the sound that we're trying--

He's getting-- [ Laughs ]

To hear that classic sound that we're trying to do

and that it came through, it just means a lot.

Thank you.

Well... Well...

Let's do this. I'm a yes.

I'm a yes. It's a yes.

Lionel & Luke: You're going to Hollywood!

Oh, my God. Thank you so much.

Instead of yes, you get a "Yee-haw!"

Oh, my God. Thank you guys. Thank you so much.

I've been wanting to be a singer since I was a little girl,

and that was the first time I ever felt like,

"Holy crap, like, this could actually-- This is possible."

What a great singer.

Lionel: She's one of those. That was awesome.

We'll be right back after this.

On "American Idol," everyone shares

the same passion for singing.

You have an amazing voice.

You've been preparing for a long time,

you've been putting in all the work.

I just want to do it. I want to go now.

But for some contestants, their voice

isn't the only thing they have been studying.

Gotta learn.

Everything in my life, it has been,

like, an amalgamation of bringing me to this moment.

Amalgamation. Amalgamation.

Formidable. That's big words, girl.

That's what they say.

♪ Up in the morning and out to school ♪

Hi. Where do you go to school?

I went to Harvard. I have a whole degree from Harvard.

So, I actually go to two colleges--

Berklee College of Music and Harvard University.

I currently attend Georgia Southern University.

That's my old stomping grounds.

Did you graduate?

Magna cum nothing.

[ Laughter ]

Hold on. What's your IQ?

99th percentile.

Look, it's Einstein!

Lionel: Welcome to this crazy, wild "American Idol."

So I speak Span-- I also speak Mandarin Chinese.

Smart people coming out for "American Idol."

Luke: Smart people. [ Laughs ]

Smart people know how to sing too.

I want brains.

Maybe our next contestant can teach him a thing or two.

I am dying to know who you are,

where you're from, and your story.

I'm Franklin Boone, I'm 27 years old,

and I teach music at the School of Rock.

You're one of the instructors?

School of Rock. Yeah.

Oh, you must be a lot of fun, man.

The only class to be in, right?

I hope so. I'm excited to hear it.

What are you gonna do for us?

I'm gonna do "Dreams" by Fleetwood Mac.

Very good.

♪ Now here you go again ♪

♪ You say you want your freedom ♪

♪ And who am I to keep you down? ♪

♪ It's only right that you should play

♪ The way you feel it ♪

♪ Listen carefully ♪

♪ To the sound of your loneliness ♪

♪ Like a heartbeat drives you mad ♪

♪ In stillness of remembering what you had ♪

♪ And what you lost ♪

♪ Thunder only happens when it's raining ♪

♪ Players only love you when they're playing ♪

♪ Ooh, say lovers ♪

♪ They will come and they will go ♪

♪ When the rain washes you clean, you'll know ♪

♪ You will know ♪

♪ You will know ♪

[ Applause ]

[ Laughs ]

Thanks.

Luke: Well, Franklin,

way to be that first-note kind of singer.

I mean, the first note you hit told me

a big old story about you.

I mean, I just see recording artist

and so much artistry in you.

Thank you. Lionel: Wow, that's

a serious compliment right there.

Franklin, how old are the kids that you, um, teach?

My youngest is six, and then it goes

through seniors in high school.

Wow. They think they're gonna be in bands,

and on the road, and touring, and artists?

That's what they want to be, all of them, right?

Mm-hmm. They're following their dreams?

Yes. [ Chuckles ]

You're following your dreams? Yes.

I think it would be an absolute shame

if you couldn't lead by example.

I agree. If you want to win this thing,

I think you have a really good chance to.

Wow. Lionel: There's a word

that makes an artist an artist, and that's called style.

You brought your style vocally, and your look,

and your attitude all in one package.

It's gonna be a yes from me, and I look for the next

frontier for you, okay? Thank you. Thank you.

I appreciate your humility, but it's time to shine.

Thanks. It's a yes.

Lionel: Ah. Thank you.

Congratulations on your new journey.

Katy: Yes. Lionel: Whoo.

It's a yes from me.

You're going to Hollywood, my dear friend.

Yes. This is really surreal.

[ Laughter ] I want to shake your hand.

Very good, man. Thank you. It's an honor.

Katy: Yeah. Take care.

It's an honor, buddy. It's an honor for us.

Enjoy the ride. Thank you.

Ooh-whoo!

It's a magical moment.

When I entered into this season, I said,

"I want another Alejandro moment," and that...

That got right there with it.

Yeah. Franklin is the season.

♪♪

[ Baby babbling ]

Oh, my God!

♪♪

Congratulations.

Mwah!

You're my good-luck charm.

Aww.

The judges told me they think

I could go all the way.

It feels incredible.

It feels really awesome.

It feels almost like a dream.

Welcome back to "American Idol,"

where the auditions are about to get sax-y.

Testing, 1, 2.

Oh, come on, alright!

Yeah.

So I got to tell you about a girl.

But it's not what you think.

[PIANO PLAYING]

♪ And she said ♪

♪ I wanted only one thing ♪

♪ But instead, you're a fool ♪

♪ Let me take you to school ♪

♪ Oh ♪

♪ And now she said all those things ♪

♪ Oh, she said all those things ♪

♪ But not to me ♪

♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪

♪ Not to me ♪

Let's go!

[ Saxophone playing ]

♪ And I said ♪

♪ Because you did all those things ♪

♪ Oh ♪

Horn player, yes.

Singer, you need to work on it.

Sax-y.

Would you mind if I sing one more?

I-- You know, I think we're good on...

Okay. It's a no for right now.

Lionel? It's a no from me.

Keep blowing that sax.

It's a no from me, bud. Thank you for coming in.

♪ You're not for me ♪

♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪

♪ Not for me, ah, ah ♪

♪ Ah ♪

[ Saxophone playing ]

I love you guys.

Love you too.

They say in show business,

it takes years of work to become an overnight success.

And for some at the LA auditions...

It's gonna be a no from me, but an optimistic "no."

...time was not on their side.

It's a no for right now.

It's a no from me, but, uh, thank you for being here.

Didn't quite pan out for me, but that's all right, man.

That's okay.

Good God, who is this person?

This should be really interesting.

Roselyn: What's going on, what's going on?

How y'all feeling? How are you?

Love, you've been waiting all day.

It's been a good wait, as well.

So I'm not complaining at all.

Tell us who you are, where you're from, your age.

My name is Roselyn Carter, my friends call me Roso,

I'm 26 years old from Watts.

Watts?! Hey!

Watts. You know, I'm just a church singer, man.

I got two siblings, my sisters, they the love of my life,

and hopefully I can bring this home to them.

I'm not here for me, I'm here for those

who are dependent on me to bring it back home

and to show what Watts really is.

I gotta do it for the people back home.

People from my community can see me and feel that they can do

something else besides what's going on right now.

There you go.

Would you ever imagine

standing on the stage of "American Idol"?

No.

No.

♪ Standing now ♪

I was born and raised in Watts my whole life,

115th and Avalon, Imperial.

Watts?

It's home if you let it be home.

♪ Calling for demons now to let me go ♪

You know, it's a lot of gang violence.

I mean, that's not really a secret.

But I've lost-- I lost some folk.

I lost some folk close to me.

[ Sighs ]

And I never really said it like that,

but that's just what it is, you know?

I never really thought about it like that,

but, yeah, I did.

♪ You can't break me down ♪

♪ You can't take me down ♪

So, what made you think that you needed

to audition for "American Idol"?

I've been singing my whole life, right?

Like, music has always been that void-filler.

I just knew that I can escape realities with this,

I can go to another place with this

outside of what was going on.

And golden ticket to me means, like,

"Oh, the world gave me that validation." You know?

I feel like there's plenty of people like me that want to know

that they can do the same thing that I'm doing.

I'm just setting the example.

What are you gonna sing for us?

"Mother Bowed" by The Pilgrim Travelers.

Oh, okay. I know where you are.

♪ My mother bowed ♪

♪ Oh, mother bowed ♪

♪ Oh, mother bowed ♪

♪ Mother prayed ♪

♪ That I may be free ♪

♪ Oh, I may be free ♪

♪ Mother taught me ♪

♪ Showed me the way to go ♪

♪ That I may not have ♪

♪ Damnation wooed ♪

♪ That's when she bowed ♪

♪ Oh, mother bowed ♪

♪ And she kneeled for me ♪

[ Chuckles ]

Alright.

You're knocking me out. I like that.

I would like to hear a little bit more, if that's alright.

Good. I want to hear some more.

I love that you took us to church.

But you-- Oh, you-- Okay.

Take us to the Staples Center.

Take you to the Staples Center? Hey, yo, how you feeling, fam?

Hey! Let's do "So High" for 'em real brief.

You got it.

♪ Baby, since the day you came into my life ♪

Yes. Whoo!

♪ You made me realize that we were born to fly ♪

[ Chuckles ]

♪ You showed me every day new possibilities ♪

♪ And you proved my fantasies of love can really be ♪

♪ Let's go to a place only lovers go ♪

♪ To a spot that we've never known ♪

♪ To the top of the clouds we're floating away, yeah ♪

♪ Ooh, it feels so crazy, and ♪

♪ Oh, this love is blazing ♪

♪ Baby, we're so high ♪

♪ Walking on cloud nine ♪

Um, that was what you call, um...

[ Clears throat ] Natural talent.

[ Laughter ]

Katy: Natural.

It's your interpretation that just knocks me out.

Um, I cannot tell you how moving

each one of those deliveries are.

Yeah, that was all I was gonna say.

Moving. It's just moving.

It's just moving. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

And I don't have to coach it up, coach it down.

It's one of those wonderful things to just watch.

Roso! Blake and Lionel: Roso!

Ooh, you said my name. I can't believe it.

I think you embody what "American Idol" stands for.

You are the dream.

You want it so much, right?

Mm-hmm. Yes, ma'am.

And you want to use it for good.

That is why we're here.

And it would be amazing if we could help you go the distance.

[ Chuckles ] Mm.

Okay.

[ Murmuring ] Yeah.

One second.

Luke: Don't you?

I will.

Lionel: I will.

Alright.

Um...

The judges and I have come to a conclusion.

So, uh, one...

♪♪

Let's go, Roso!

Yo! Let's go, Roso!

Let's go, Roso!

Let's go, Roso! You're going to Hollywood!

You're going to Hollywood!

Ooh! Can I get some love here?

Please, please. Oh, give me some.

Give me some love.

[ Laughter ]

So proud. Lio-nel, thank you so much.

So proud. So proud. What did you say?

Lio-nel. Lio-nel.

Lio-nel. [ Chuckles ]

Listen, Roso...

we are so in your corner.

Bring this.

I'mma bring it.

Thank you so much. Thank you so much.

I'm gonna wait till I get over here to get excited.

I love her so much.

I love that.

Oh, my God!

♪ I feel glorious, glorious ♪

[ Yells ]

[ Cheers and applause ]

Dang, y'all got to hear when Lionel said...

And then y'all see how I'm feeling.

Man, we working hard for this.

Whoo!

Boom! Boom!

This the first step, long journey to go,

but they said yeah.

This means where I'm standing right now

that anything is possible.

I'm taking this back to Watts.

Your family is gonna be so proud.

You ready to tell them? I'm gonna tell them.

Alright. Hey.

Hey, y'all. Hi.

Oh, wow.

We got something to tell you guys.

[ Screaming ]

Getting to share this with the fam was amazing.

To see they faces light up like a Christmas tree...

I felt like I did my job.

Did you think she had it in her?

I been knew she had it in her, since she was a kid.

Yeah? She always been this way.

She always been a good artist.

They need another example, and I just want to be

that example for them to go chase for what they want.

Where we going? Hollywood!

Whoo!

And I want you to know, man, I'm doing this for y'all

as well as myself, and I promise you better days,

and I'm guaranteeing it coming.

Bobby: Everybody in.

There's a lot of love here.

Roselyn: Whoo-hoo!

We're going to Hollywood, y'all.

Bobby: We're going to Hollywood!

[ "Come Sail Away" by Styx plays ]

What do we have here?

Katy: It's a beautiful day in Washington.

Luke: It is.

Why are we not out on the boat?

Boating on the Potomac?

Because we're here discovering the newest of talents.

Why don't we do an audition on the boat?

That would be great.

♪ I'm sailing ♪

Luke, what are you thinking?

♪ Away ♪

Let's do it. Come on, Luke.

72 degrees, not a cloud in the sky.

Hi. Hi.

Hi.

Are you auditioning today?

Yeah.

Tell you what, we're going to the boat.

Why don't you come and go with us?

I would love that. Oh, come on.

Are you kidding? All aboard!

♪ Come sail away, come sail away ♪

♪ Come sail away with me ♪

Going great, thanks. Oh, my God.

This is the first audition on a boat.

I mean, come on, let's just talk about this.

Who are you, where are you from? Tell us all about you.

My name is Megan Knight, I'm from Williamstown, New Jersey.

Tell us what you're going to sing, where we're going.

Um, "When Your Mind's Made Up" by Glen Hansard.

Let's hear it. Okay.

♪ When your mind's made up ♪

♪ When your mind's made up ♪

♪ There's no point trying to change it ♪

♪ When your mind's made up ♪

♪ When your mind's made up ♪

♪ There's no point trying to fight it ♪

♪ So ♪

♪ If you ever want something ♪

♪ And you call, call ♪

♪ Then I'll come running ♪

Alright, okay.

Uh, Luke, tell me what you think of this.

Yeah, Megan, um, you've got a great voice.

You play guitar great, you sing great.

I think if you just let us coach you up a little bit,

on maybe just not overdoing so much vibrato.

It's only, I've noticed, it's on your notes

that you elongate, you hold out. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

You don't need that. Just iron it out.

Just iron it out, that's all.

I want you to really listen to how hard you're playing,

because sometimes it's overpowering

the incredible dynamics of your voice,

that you don't want it to be so loud

you can't hear it. Okay.

Lionel: So we get to do a boat vote.

Boat vote. A boat vote.

Alright, I'll vote. Okay.

Yes.

Wow! Katy, what are you thinking?

Yeah-t.

Wow. Yeah-t.

Yeah-t. And I will say...

ship...yes. [ Laughter ]

Oh, yeah! Oh, my God, thank you so much.

You're going to Hollywood! You're going to Hollywood!

That's crazy.

Thank you. Congrats.

Come on over here. Congrats, all right?

Thank you so much. Congrats, great job.

[ Cheering ]

Luke: Your parents are yelling.

Yeah, everybody's yelling. We're happy for you.

Thanks. See you in Hollywood.

You know, I could get used to this.

Luke, you ready? What? Don't-- What, what?

[ "My Heart Will Go On" by Céline Dion plays ]

Lionel: What are you doing? Luke: Are you gonna jump?

What are you doing?

Katy...

♪ Near, far ♪

♪ Where... ♪

Together: ♪ ...ever you are ♪

Dion: ♪ I believe that my heart ♪

♪ Will go on and on ♪

You know, this is so beautiful.

This is really weird.

This is very weird. Very weird.

We're actually--

We need to be on the bow. Yeah, right.

[ Ship horn blares ]

Gilberto: Oh, my God, where are the judges?

♪♪

Gilberto, how's it going?

It's nice. I'm just waiting for the judges.

They're coming.

Hi, Luke. How are you?

My feet hurt a little, but we're doing good.

I want to sit on the other side of that bench.

Come sit. Really?

Come sit down in the chair. Don't tell me that twice,

because I will definitely be there.

Bring in the next contestant, please!

Lionel, we've recruited another judge.

[ Chuckles ] I heard I'm being replaced.

What makes you the next American Idol?

Well, only because I-- I feel there's no place else

to go now at this point.

Beautiful. Are you gonna sing an original today?

Yes.

Security, please.

No, let him.

♪ I've been alone with you inside my mind ♪

♪ And in my dreams, I've kissed your lips ♪

♪ A thousand times ♪

[ Laughs ]

♪ I sometimes see you pass outside my door ♪

♪ Hello ♪

♪ Is it me you're looking for? ♪

♪ I can see it in your eyes ♪

♪ You know just what to do ♪

♪ And I want to tell you so much ♪

Oh, hello!

I love you, and you, and you, and you.

Katy: Wow!

Was that--

Wow, that was really unexpected.

You just fractured me completely.

Oh, my God. I was gonna put you on the spot.

Whoo! Bam.

Well, enjoy yourself.

That's all I needed, y'all.

Let's get this show going.

Lionel: Welcome, sunshine. [ Laughter ]

Hi, guys.

Welcome to "American Idol."

[ Whistles ] Tell us who you are.

[ Laughs ]

My name is Gil, I am all the way

from Orlando, Florida, and I moved

to New York City about a year and a half ago

because I wanted to sing and I wanted to perform,

and what a better place for me to be able to take

my talents to the "American Idol" stage?

Well, what are you gonna sing today?

I'll be performing "Proud Mary" by Tina Turner.

Ah.

[ "Proud Mary" instrumental plays ]

♪♪

♪ Left a good job in the city, mm ♪

♪ Workin' for the man ev'ry night and day ♪

♪ But I ain't never lost one minute of sleepin' ♪

♪ Worryin' 'bout the way things should have been ♪

♪ Big wheels keep on turnin' ♪

♪ Proud Mary keep on burnin' ♪

♪ And we're rollin' ♪

♪ Rollin', yeah ♪

♪ Rollin' on the river ♪

Come on!

♪ Oh, yeah ♪

Whoo!

♪ I cleaned a lot of plates in Memphis ♪

♪ I pumped a lot of 'tane down in New Orleans ♪

♪ I ain't never saw the good side of the city ♪

♪ Till I hitched a ride on the riverboat queen ♪

♪ Big wheels keep on turnin' ♪

♪ Proud Mary keep on ♪

♪ Rollin' ♪

♪ Rollin' ♪

♪ Rollin' on the river ♪

♪ Oh ♪

Work for it! Whoo!

Come on! Give it all you got!

Leave it on the floor!

♪ Yeah, yeah ♪

Come on!

Katy: Amazing. Lionel: Wow.

Someone get him a towel!

[ Whistles ] Wait, let me tell my watch.

I'm okay.

[ Laughter ]

It says, "Are we having an emergency?"

[ Laughs ] I'm okay.

I'm okay, I'm okay. Whoo!

Lionel, what do you think about Gilberto?

Gilberto, let me say this to you.

We're in this business of uniqueness.

You, my friend, are clearly unique.

Thank you.

Is it pop, or is it theatrical?

Theater may be your stage.

If I may say something.

Please.

I love theater,

but it's not something that I see myself doing.

Mm-hmm. My passion is to sing.

And I am very theatrical because I'm used to singing

on the trains where I have to captivate your attention.

You ever been to Hollywood?

Never.

Do you want to go there one day?

Desperately.

If you give me an opportunity,

I will strip it all away and give you just my voice.

What about shaving your chest?

I vote that.

You tell me what you want,

and I will give you everything that I have.

We might put you through the star wash.

And that means that you may lose a few hairs.

It's okay. They'll always grow back.

Always.

♪♪

Gilberto, you sang really well.

You need to take yourself a little bit more seriously,

'cause your voice does stand out.

Your voice is the rainbow flag.

Your voice is the red boots.

You need to put all that sparkle and attention

into your voice and presenting it like you just did.

It's a yes from me. Very good.

Thank you. Very good.

Thank you.

I still respectfully think that it may not be

the lane for "American Idol,"

so this will be a no from me.

Luke?

Lot of, lot of neat things going on in your voice.

Wasn't what I was expecting.

Thank you.

♪♪

Yes, you're going to Hollywood.

Whoo! [ Clapping ]

♪ Thank you! ♪

Oh, my God.

♪ Let's get loud ♪

[ Chuckles ] Thank you so much.

Well, I hear his voice coming.

And I see a golden ticket!

♪ Let's get loud ♪

I'm so excited.

I feel like I'm dreaming!

Now there's just one thing left to do

before heading to Hollywood.

Are you ready?

Aah!

Really hurts!

Oh, my!

Do the whole body.

[PIANO PLAYING]

Name is Justin Oliver, I'm 24 years old,

and I'm from Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

♪ Give me your, give me your, give me your attention, baby ♪

So today, I'm gonna be singing "Treasure" by Bruno Mars,

and the "American Idol" accompanist,

Phredley Brown, wrote that song,

and he will be accompanying me.

This is one of those dreams come true.

#DreamComeTrue. Okay?

♪ Oh, oh ♪

♪ Oh, girl, I'm gonna show you when you're mine, all mine ♪

♪ Oh, oh, treasure ♪

♪ That is what you are ♪

♪ Honey, you're my golden star ♪

♪ You know you can make my wish come true ♪

Ha, I love it.

♪ If you let me treasure you ♪

♪ If you let me treasure you, you, you ♪

♪ Yeah ♪

Alright.

Phred, what did you think?

Uh... [ Laughter ]

Sorry, Phred, you didn't sign up for that.

Put Phred on the spot.

Luke: Are you doing that to Phred?

I'm sorry.

If you have a person in the room

that co-wrote the song, that works with the artist,

I want to know what Phred thinks.

Be honest.

I think technically, it's great.

I think maybe the energy

could've been a little bit higher.

Okay. That's tough coming from somebody

who is inside of the song and plays it thousands of times

with the artist on enormous stages.

So Bruno Mars has a lot of energy, you're saying?

Oh, please. [ Laughter ]

Right?

Phred: So it's hard coming from me.

I'm probably the toughest critic you could have.

Right. Katy: Alright.

But this is the shot right here, you know?

This is the shot. This is it.

Justin, vocally it just didn't get it all the way there for me.

Okay. Katy: Lionel.

Not based on you, just based on the level

and marker of what we have and where we're going.

I don't think your vocals came up to that standard.

Do y'all mind if I sing one more song for you?

I would love to tell you we had all night long, but--

[ Laughs ]

That was really good, actually. That was really good.

That was, like, one of the best dad jokes.

You like that, huh? It's really good.

Justin, it's a-- it's a no from me.

[ Exhales sharply ]

I'm a no, unfortunately. That's fine.

That's fine.

Um, Justin, I'm a no. Alright.

And the best form of success is proving us wrong.

Yep. Ah.

Phred: There you go. Thank you, Justin.

Justin: Thank you so much. Take care, man.

Thank you.

Way to navigate that, buddy.

Thank you.

It's hard, isn't it?

It's tough, it's tough.

I don't envy you guys.

We just wanted to give you just a taste.

And that look on your face gave us the story.

You said, "What?" You did good, Phred.

Katy: You did, you survived it.

Phew!

There's a lot of people that can sing well,

and sometimes perform well,

but do they have that "It" factor?

Not today.

Katy: Do they have that magic?

That's what I'm looking for.

Lionel: This year, we have great artists,

which makes the viewer have to ask the question,

"Why would they throw off this good singer?"

Because they're good, but they're not exceptional.

♪ And I know it makes no sense ♪

You have a great sound. Thank you.

But it's not to that point of where I want it to be.

So it's going to have to be a no for me on this journey.

♪ Say what you want to say ♪

You have a nice voice. Thank you.

But I'm just not sure it's gonna run the gauntlet

of "American Idol" voices that are out there.

So it's a no from me, but you are very close.

We've kind of learned when a contestant

is gonna get gobbled up in the later rounds.

We can tell what talent's gonna really work

right off the bat and what's not gonna work.

Aw... It's okay, it's okay.

It's okay. It's okay.

It's hard to say no to people. It is.

So while the road to Hollywood is harder than ever this year,

our next contestant has brought a little extra support

to help her with the biggest audition of her life.

Oh, my goodness. What?

It's a puppy. You have a Frenchie.

Yes. Come on, it's okay.

Oh, goodness, she locked 'em down.

You know what? Dogs do this.

I have a dog that is scared of shiny floors.

Aliana: Yes. [ Chuckles ]

Well, this is Nova, and my name is Aliana Jester.

Where are you from?

Born and raised in Tampa,

I currently live in Fort Walton Beach.

I love this position right here.

It's just, "I am not gonna deal--"

She's like, "I am not auditioning for you."

"I am not dealing with the competition today."

[ Laughs ] Wait, I have a question.

What is she in training for?

Emotional support. Katy: Ah.

Great. For you?

Me and my dad, mostly.

Oh. Really, huh?

Yeah.

When I was a baby, my parents split.

My father is in the army and he was getting deployed a lot,

so I grew up with my mom mostly.

She would sing to me when I was little, and I had a bunk bed,

so she would sing up like that,

and then I would just sing right after just looking up,

no matter where I was.

♪ Sometimes we break so beautiful ♪

She would take me to karaokes every week,

she got me into singing competitions,

we would do everything together.

We were pretty much like best friends.

When I was about 12 years old, she started a new religion,

and I decided I didn't want it because there were things

that didn't quite make sense to me,

and then I started dating somebody that wasn't religious.

And when my mom found out, she was not happy at all.

My mom was so angry.

I couldn't hang out with friends.

I couldn't do anything--

just pretty much just sit in my room all day.

♪ In good time, you'll come to know ♪

It put me in such a deep depression

that I ended up hurting myself.

♪ You can find yourself where you belong ♪

[ Voice breaking ] And what hurts me is that she wasn't

being the loving mother that I thought she was.

I got in contact with my dad,

who had no idea that any of that was going on.

He knew right away that he needed to get me out of there.

♪ Ooh, ooh ♪

♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh ♪

He saved my life.

♪ I'm burning up ♪

There's no way in heck that I would've not did what I can

to try to be here and support you.

Now, living with my dad, it is a little wild,

'cause there's so many of us in the house,

but all of them are very supportive

of everything that I do.

I remember when you first started singing,

and I was deployed, and you were, like, three years old.

Just to think how far you've come, I'm very proud of you.

Thank you. Aww.

Love you. I love you too.

[ Chuckles ]

Wow. What a story.

Yeah.

So with everything that happened with me last year,

she's making it a little bit easier.

Yeah, I understand.

I'm glad you're here,

I'm glad you're still standing.

And I'm excited to hear you sing.

So let's hear it.

♪ When ♪

♪ I had you ♪

♪ I treated you bad ♪

♪ And wrong, my dear ♪

♪ And, boy, since ♪

♪ Since you went away ♪

♪ Dont'cha know I ♪

♪ Sit around ♪

♪ With my head hangin' down ♪

♪ And I wonder ♪

♪ Who's lovin' you ♪

Wow, make it look really hard. Wow. Yeah.

Does she want to sing something?

[ Nova yelps ] Yeah, yeah.

Okay, alright. Okay.

Do you want to hold her?

Yeah. Come here, mama.

Everyone always feels better when they're held.

Yeah.

Aliana, you have such an incredible gift.

Thank you.

You can hit all the notes.

I just want you to kind of take what you've been through--

all that sadness, that pain... Yeah.

...and put it in the words

Okay. I'm glad that you chose life.

Thank you.

I truly think you're a special, special singer.

Yeah. Thank you.

You know, you got to look at what you've been through.

Yes. Yeah.

And now you can go be this bright, bright light.

And you have it.

Like, this is what this job, for me,

is all about: finding people like you.

Thank you. First of all, you're a star.

[ Laughs ]

And number two,

you remind me so much of young Whitney.

Luke: Yeah. Lionel: Okay?

And the beauty.

Yes. She's-- Absolutely.

Can we say it? Please.

Oh, my God. All: You're going to Hollywood.

Come on over here.

Hi, honey. You can pet her too.

Hello, baby.

Let's bring you all in here. There she is.

Oh, my God. [ Screams ]

Goodness gracious.

♪♪

How you doing? Great job.

So proud of you. Thank you.

This audition definitely gave me a lot more confidence in myself.

They made me feel like I can do anything, and I'm so happy.

You have such a bright future. See you in Hollywood.

How significant is this whole celebration?

This is all surreal at the moment, but I'm really excited.

That's a voice right there.

Pow, pow right there. Whoo!

I can't believe I'm finally here.

I'm so excited.

Welcome back to "American Idol"...

Smile.

...where our contestants' bright and shiny spirits

are the direct result...

I'm just, like, so proud of you.

I can't believe you're gonna cry.

I'm not-- [ Laughter ]

...of the love and support...

This is what you've been waiting for

since you were five.

...their friends and family give them.

♪ Yeah, take it to them ♪

♪ Go, Jahzan, hey ♪

♪ Take it to them ♪

[ Laughter ]

Lionel: Alright.

Luke: How are you? How you doing?

Hello.

Take a breath.

[ Laughs ]

I'm so excited.

There you go. Okay.

And now tell us who you are, where you're from.

My name is Jahzan, I'm 18 years old,

and I'm from Kingston, Jamaica, but I live in New York now.

And tell us about your growing up.

Growing up in Kingston, Jamaica, it was pretty rough.

I grew up with an absentee father,

so it's just me and my mom.

Is that your mother right over there?

That's my mom right there.

Sneaking around the side of the...

[ Laughs ] Hi, Mom. What's your name?

How you doing? My name is Zandriann.

Beautiful. Continue the story.

I'm curious to know here.

So we moved to New York for a better life,

and we busk in the city.

Right now, we are homeless, so "American Idol"

is basically my opportunity.

Your ticket. Yeah.

It was tough coming over here at the age of 15,

and then not knowing where you're gonna live.

But me and my mom, it's just all about being a team,

really and truly, because we're all we have.

♪ My friend you are not alone ♪

We came here, first and foremost, for safety.

Yeah.

♪ I am tired of feeling so invisible ♪

For reasons I can't discuss on television,

but we were in fear of our lives,

so we came over here to escape from that.

We are homeless right now.

I live in my uncle's salon.

Nobody even knows about my situation at school.

I don't tell them because I don't want

to be looked on with pity.

I want to be looked on as strong.

[ Sighs ] It's just like sometimes,

when you think about it, it's like...

You're just living it, but it's so hard sometimes.

But you just have to be strong

and just put your best face forward.

In the back of my mind, I know it has to get better.

It can't just continue like this.

Like, it has to get better.

The two of us, we will make it.

♪ You are not alone ♪

Oh, my goodness. What a story.

And, Mom, you've been over there,

the rock of everything, for this?

Yes, I sing with her sometimes in the subway and dance

and hype her up and build a vibe.

Can we get a little taste? Can we hear a little taste--?

Yeah, mon. Yeah, mon. Together: Yeah, mon!

Yeah, mon! [ Laughs ]

I like this. Come on.

I'm gonna do "Rockabye Baby" by Clean Bandit.

Okay. Alright. Go for it.

[ Guitar playing ]

♪ She works the nights ♪

BOTH: ♪ By the water ♪

♪ She's gonna stray, so far away ♪

BOTH: ♪ From her father's daughter ♪

JAHVAN: ♪ She just wants a life ♪

BOTH: ♪ For her baby ♪

♪ All on her own, no one will come ♪

♪ She's got to save him ♪

♪ Rockabye, baby, rockabye ♪

[ Laughs ] ♪ I'm gonna rock you ♪

♪ Rockabye, baby, don't you cry ♪

♪ Somebody's got you ♪

♪ Rockabye, baby, rockabye ♪ [ Laughs ]

♪ I'm gonna rock you ♪

♪ Rockabye, baby, don't you cry ♪

♪ Rockabye ♪

[ Applause ] Katy: Wow!

That's a cool mom. Thank you.

And by the way, no matter where the career goes,

put your mother on stage, okay? Uh-huh, uh-huh.

Because that's just a vibe right there.

Thank you.

Lionel: Let's talk about you now.

What are you gonna sing for us now by yourself?

I'm gonna sing "Warrior" by Demi Lovato.

Let's hear it.

Whoa, whoa, whoa. Wait, wait.

Mom is gonna do the set change.

When I change my costumes, I'm going this fast.

Luke: So good. Lionel: So good.

It's like a full... stage mom.

Love this. Got you, girl.

Okay. [ Chuckles ]

Alright, we're ready for it.

I like it. That's so cute.

I love it. I love it.

[ Piano playing ]

♪ This is a story that I've never told ♪

♪ I gotta get this off my chest and let it go ♪

♪ I'm a warrior ♪

♪ I've got thicker skin ♪

♪ I'm a warrior ♪

♪ I'm stronger than I've ever been ♪

♪ And my armor ♪

♪ Is made of steel, you can't get in ♪

♪ I'm a warrior ♪

♪ And you will never hurt me again ♪

Where'd you learn how to sing like that?

Um, my mom, she trained me

because she's in the performing arts.

Your mom is also in the background

praying for you, like my mom is.

Usually my mom is, like,

speaking in tongues in the background.

Thank you. Katy: Listen.

Listen.

It's okay, we're here to help you out.

Okay.

You did great. Okay.

To me, you sound like a combination of Toni Braxton,

Cher, and Shakira. There you go, there you go.

Thank you. [ Chuckles ] Okay?

There is something real interesting in your voice.

Now, you just gave us a 10.

I would like to dial it down to a 7.

Here's what you have really, really going for you.

You sound very different and unique,

and you're a blend of all these wonderful singers.

Thank you.

But we're gonna have to coach you up,

in my opinion, quite a bit.

It's just gonna make you a much better singer,

and people are gonna really, really want to listen to you.

Thank you.

Mom, I want you to come over here for a moment.

[ Katy laughs ]

And I want you to stand next to your daughter,

and I want you to, first of all,

understand...

what a great job you've done.

Okay? [ Crying ] Jesus.

I thank you, Jesus.

I thank you, Jesus.

Both of you are carrying more weight

than you've ever carried in your lives.

And how you got to "American Idol,"

only God knows.

[ Laughs ] Yeah, it was journey.

But you are here, and, Mom, we're gonna take

this opportunity to take a little bit of that load off you.

That's right. Okay?

Now, Luke, what is your vote?

It is a yes from me.

Katy, what is your vote?

My vote is a yes.

My vote is a yes.

Thank you, Jesus.

You're going to Hollywood.

Take your mother, enjoy this experience.

Katy: Aww. We love you.

Mom, your prayer's locked in tightly.

Thank you so much.

Thank you. Thank you so much.

Go back and hug your mom.

[ Indistinct conversation ]

[ Applause ]

♪♪

Holding this golden ticket,

it's like a physical representation of, like...

Of my new life. [ Chuckles ]

Thank you, Jesus! Hallelu-jah!

I'm so happy right now!

This means so much to me.

I'm so happy.

She has so much pressure on her.

Luke: That's too much on people.

I know, but she was actually good.

I'm just so thankful.

It's just a blessing.

♪♪

Jordan: ♪ Hey, little girl, is your daddy home? ♪

♪ Did he go and leave you all alone? ♪

♪ Oh ♪

♪ I got a bad desire ♪

♪ Oh, oh, oh, I'm on fire ♪

Chill bumps. [ Chuckles ]

I mean, I'm dying, I'm dying. Oh, my God.

♪ Tell me now, baby, is he good to you? ♪

♪ Can he do to you the things that I do? ♪

♪ Oh ♪

♪ I can take you higher ♪

♪ Oh, oh, oh, I'm on fire ♪

♪ It's like someone took a knife, baby, edgy and dull ♪

♪ And cut a six-inch valley through the middle of my skull ♪

Wow.

♪ And I lay awake with the sheets soaking wet ♪

♪ The freight train running through the middle of my soul ♪

♪ You cool my desire ♪

♪ Oh, oh, oh, I'm on fire ♪

♪ Oh, oh, oh, I'm on fire ♪

♪ Oh, oh, oh, I'm on fire ♪

Oh, yeah.

Thank you guys. Thank you, thank you.

Your guitar playing and your delivery

and your singing screams massive songwriter.

First and foremost, your guitar playing

is my favorite kind of guitar playing.

I can hear every note, it's so crisp and well-tuned,

and you are a studied musician.

Thank you so much.

Very, very, very, very good.

Thank you. Yes.

Mm.

Yes. Touchdown!

Thank you guys.

It's a yes from me. Thank you so much.

You are going to...

All: Hollywood.

Thank you so much, guys, I appreciate it.

Alright. Very fresh.

I'm not gonna hurt these hands.

These hands are special.

Don't squeeze them. Don't squeeze them.

Thank you guys so much.

We'll see you in Hollywood.

Thank you.

♪ Mm, I'm never going back again ♪

[ Cheers and applause ]

I love his voice.

Wow, I love his voice.

Hi. Lionel: Hi.

How are you? Good, how are you?

Katy: Oh, my gosh.

What is your name and your age and where you're from?

I am Demi Rae, I am 26 years old,

and I'm from San Jose, California.

Ah. Amazing.

Okay, show us what you have in your hand.

This is a book that I wrote when I was about nine years old.

Look at her! Okay.

Oh, "My Future." "My Future."

Mm, very good. This is so great.

"I would like to be a singer for my career in the future.

"When I get old enough, I will strive for my goal

and I will go on 'American Idol.'"

No.

Oh, my gosh, Demi, I'm excited for you.

Demi: I got introduced to music at a very young age.

My dad's a dance instructor, so I'd be sitting there, just,

like, watching him and listening to all the music.

♪ I remember ♪

I just remember, like, him

always telling me, like, "If you are a singer,

you go out there, and you sing,

and they'll listen to you.

You just got to give it your all."

[ Vocalizing ]

We were just a happy little family, I mean,

like, from the outside.

But things weren't happy inside the home.

My dad, he wasn't around all the time.

He was constantly in and out of jail.

Just that anticipation, you know?

Like, "Where is he? Is he gonna be here?"

♪ Tried to keep it small, it wasn't enough ♪

I just wanted him to be around, I wanted him to love me,

I wanted him to be proud of me.

♪ At least we gave it all, a little too much ♪

When I was 15, my dad got clean,

and he turned his life all around.

♪ Bigger than us ♪

He started to be there more, to talk to me more.

Some people, it takes a little bit longer to get things right.

And it was really nice.

♪ At least we gave it all, a little too much ♪

It's an honor for me to see you

do these kind of things, you know?

You have a gift that very few have,

and that gift is gonna take you a long way, you know?

My family is my rock, and my dad's my number one, always.

My hero.

I love you, Dad.

I love you.

♪ Bigger than us ♪

Aw.

And I'm here.

I mean, that's incredible.

I'm so excited to be in front of you right now.

I love all y'all, but I loved you for so long.

Lionel: Aw, that's so--

Listen, I can see the pearl, the glitter,

the pink, it's my demo.

Okay, alright?

What are you gonna share with us?

I'm gonna be singing "Mad at You" by Noah Cyrus.

Good for you. Okay, go ahead.

[GUITAR PLAYING]

♪ Mad ♪

♪ Mad at you ♪

♪ We need to talk ♪

♪ You just say, "I don't want to start a fight" ♪

♪ 'Cause the minute it gets to my lips ♪

♪ I can feel my tongue is tied ♪

♪ My eyes start to water ♪

♪ But I can't stop you when you lie ♪

♪ Baby, we need to talk ♪

♪ 'Cause I feel like I need to walk away ♪

♪ Before you start calling my name ♪

♪ And begging me to stay ♪

♪ It's gonna be hard as hell ♪

♪ Baby, you know me well ♪

♪ No matter what you do ♪

♪ Can never be mad at you ♪

♪ You only love yourself ♪

♪ For me, there's no one else ♪

♪ No matter what you do ♪

♪ I can never be mad ♪

♪ Mad at you, yeah ♪

♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh, yeah ♪

Have you ever professionally pursued this?

No.

All: Why not?

Why-- [ Laughs ] I was just about to say.

I get really insecure.

Katy: Why?

Because I don't look like the other girls, and--

No! It's not about the looks.

It's really hard, like, with social media and stuff.

I get anxiety, but, like, the only place

I'm comfortable is when I'm doing this.

Don't get psyched out.

There's probably not someone that looks like you

because you're supposed to be the one that looks like you.

You know? Thank you.

That influences all the girls that look like you

that don't feel like they look like anyone else.

I know that's a bit of a tongue twister.

I totally understand.

We follow you. Do you understand?

There's a million girls

watching the television going, "Oh, my God, I'm just like her."

And you're gonna be that one.

You're gonna be that one.

You have such a great voice.

Thank you.

And it's not just typical, right?

Right. Right off the bat, you started hitting these...

Other notes. ...perfectly done falsetto runs.

You've got that natural cry we talk about.

Now we just got to let you know how great you are

and lift you up and get behind you

and encourage you every step of the way.

If this is how you sing scared to death and with no confidence

[chuckles] I can't imagine what you're gonna be

when you realize, "Oh, my God, I've got this." Okay?

Because that's what you're gonna need from this point. Okay?

Thank you so much. This is so crazy to hear.

I can't believe I'm standing in front of you guys right now.

Lionel: Oh, so great.

We can vote? Let's vote.

Yeah.

Um, yes from me.

It's a yes from me.

♪ Even though it hurt like hell ♪

Page 3 is your answer.

♪ No, I never lost myself ♪

♪ 'Cause I bend, but I don't break ♪

Page 3?

[ Gasps ]

♪ I'm on my way up, won't look back ♪

All: You're going to Hollywood!

Whoo! I did it!

Thank you.

Katy told me on page 3

that something was in there, and it was my golden ticket.

It almost made me burst into tears.

I was like, "Katy Perry's reading my book."

[ All screaming ]

♪ And I'm going, I'm going up ♪

♪ My way ♪

[ Laughter ]

♪ I'm going, I'm going up ♪

♪ My way ♪

Me and my dad have been through a lot,

and just having him there...

waiting for me is really nice.

♪♪

♪♪

This is the largest marshmallow I've ever had.

Yeah, we're gonna drift down and wave it through one time.

I'm on fire!

I feel like Gordon Ramsay.

Lionel: It cracked. Katy: Oh, that looks so good.

♪ Light of day ♪

Here, Katy.

[ Laughter ]

I can't take that. I got to go. I'm sorry.

Mallow fight!

♪ Rubbing sticks and stones together ♪

♪ Make the sparks ignite ♪

What's up? What's up, dude? Look out!

What's up?

My name is Nash.

[ Laughs ] I'll be auditioning for you in a minute.

♪ Sky rockets in flight ♪

I'm a mullet man, baby.

That guy right there about took you out.

[ Laughs ]

What's up? Hey, get away from him!

Get away from him!

[ Laughs ]

Luke: Let's let mullet man sing.

Alright. Why not, mullet man?

What are you gonna sing for us?

Do you want "Ol' Red" or "Should've Been a Cowboy"?

All: "Should've Been a Cowboy."

Alright, so you want to hear it?

Oh, heck yeah. Alright.

♪ Well, I bet you've never heard ol' Marshal Dillon say ♪

♪ Miss Kitty, have you ever thought of runnin' away? ♪

♪ Settlin' down, would you marry me ♪

♪ If I asked you twice and begged you, pretty please? ♪

Uh-huh, uh-huh. ♪ She'd have said ♪

♪ "Yes, in a New York minute" ♪

Oh, my harmony was terrible.

Uh-huh. ♪ They never-- ♪

Keep going. Keep going.

♪ Tied the knot ♪

♪ His heart wasn't in it ♪

♪ He just stole a kiss as he rode away ♪

♪ I should've been a cowboy ♪

♪ I should've learned to rope and ride ♪

♪ Singin' those campfire songs ♪

♪ Whoa, I should've been a cowboy ♪

♪ I should've roasted s'mores ♪

You're right. You did.

Lionel: Wow. That was really amazing.

It's definitely super country,

and your mullet is definitely the cherry on top.

Thank you. I like that.

I like a sense of humor, but is it

gonna really work, you know, in the real world?

Well, it's just, you're really, really nasally.

Okay. And I think

if you tone that down, worked on that.

I mean, it's... [Nasally] ♪ Everything is like this ♪

Alright. Alright?

It's-- 90% of it's sound rather than incorporating throat.

Blending it all.

♪ I guess you never heard ol' Marshal Dillon say ♪

Wow, I mean, if anything, you're getting,

like, fantastic singing lessons from Luke Bryan.

Alright, let's vote. Lionel: Alright.

Listen, Nash, I appreciate you, appreciate your mullet,

appreciate you coming in here, trying to take out Luke Bryan.

That was cool. It's a no for now from me.

It's gonna be a no from me because I think you can

work on it and bring it back strong.

Yeah. Okay.

No from me.

But you know what? Thanks for having fun.

No problem. That was cool.

I was really excited to meet you guys.

Oh, look. This is a human marshmallow.

Family. Yeah, yeah!

Get that picture, somebody!

I'd like to say to the judges, you guys are all great.

You guys handled that like champs.

What do you say we go back inside for s'more talent?

[ Laughs ]

It's alright, buddy. We love you.

Hi, welcome to "American Idol." Thank you.

I'm Makayla, I'm 17, and I'm from Wellington, Kansas.

My city is the wheat capital of the world,

so I perform at a lot of wheat festivals.

That's all that I know about wheat.

I live in the country, so when I'm not singing,

I love being outside.

♪ Take me out of... ♪

How'd you get here today? Um, we flew.

It was my first time flying.

Being here is huge.

[ Cheering ]

It's crazy, I don't know. It's just a lot.

I don't know how to explain it!

Oh, my gosh. I am really scared.

It's just nerve-wracking.

Walk around a little bit, get some air.

Deep breaths.

Don't throw up. Don't throw up.

This is definitely the biggest accomplishment in my life,

and, I don't know, these are famous people!

How are you?

I'm so excited, though.

This is so crazy. Oh, my gosh.

You're not overwhelmed on us, are you?

Yeah, of course I am, it's you guys.

Well, tell us who you are and where you're from.

I'm Makayla Brownlee. I live in Wellington, Kansas.

It's the wheat capital of the world.

How do they feel about this gluten-free thing?

[ Laughter ]

Alright, tell us about yourself.

Well, I'm 17, and I love singing, and, I don't know.

I love snake hunting.

Snake hunting? Yeah.

What do you say? What does that mean?

It means you wait till it's, like, pitch dark outside.

No.

Because they come up at night to feed on minnows.

What kind of snakes?

Just water snakes.

Have you been bit? Every time.

Now, what do you do with the snakes?

Oh, I just catch them

and then take pictures and then throw them back.

You just go out with a flashlight at night,

get in the water, catch a snake?

Yeah, well, we camp every weekend,

so it gives me something to do.

Wow, that's cool.

Camping every weekend.

Well, uh, let's hear you. What are you gonna sing today?

Uh, "Travelin' Soldier" by the Dixie Chicks.

Were you needing something?

Is there, like, any way I can get a drink?

Come over here. My throat's just--

it's been hurting a lot. Here you go.

Luke: Lionel is the magic deliverer.

Thank you. Alright.

You're so stunning. You good?

Oh, stop. Thank you. You seriously are.

You good? Yeah, I'm good.

Alrighty, Miss Makayla.

Let's hear what you got.

Okay. Snake charmer.

[GUITAR PLAYING]

♪ One Friday night at a football game ♪

♪ The Lord's Prayer said and the Anthem sang ♪

♪ And a man said, "Folks, would you bow your head ♪

♪ For a list of local Vietnam dead?" ♪

♪ I cried ♪

♪ Never gonna hold the hand of another guy ♪

♪ Too young for him they told her ♪

♪ Waitin' for the love of a travelin' soldier ♪

♪ Our love will never end ♪

♪ Waitin' for the soldier to come back again ♪

♪ Never more to be alone ♪

♪ When the letter said ♪

♪ A soldier's coming home ♪

Very good. Wow.

Very good. Very good.

Great job. Very good.

What a surprise. Very good.

Like a snake in the water. Right?

Makayla, you've got a really good voice on you.

Yeah. Thank you.

You know, I'm not a country aficionado,

but it's definitely something that I would be tuning in to.

As a little constructive criticism,

I think you could afford to enunciate a little bit more.

Okay. But it's sweet, it's so sincere.

Lionel: So let me tell you what I'm in love with.

You've got this little yodel cry.

Yeah. Yeah. [ Chuckles ]

That's a real magic trick you've got.

It's a signature for you. Thank you.

As far as the competition, you know,

we have our girl country singers,

and it's really, really strong this year.

Get ready for a dog fight in Hollywood, but, uh,

I'm ready to see you get in there and shake it up.

Let's vote. Thank you so much.

Yes.

Absolutely, yes.

Little Kansas snake hunter, you're going to Hollywood!

It's a yes. Oh, my gosh.

♪ 'Cause we were born for better days ♪

Are you guys real?

[ Laughs ] Congrats.

Congrats. Thank you guys so much.

I got to talk to you about that snake thing.

Oh, my God, thank you guys so much.

Luke: How about that? Katy: Thank you.

Congrats. Thank you!

♪ Believe me, love, yeah, you're gonna be bigger ♪

[ Applause ]

Absolutely amazing. I'm so shocked.

Everything that I've ever dreamed of

is in my hands right now.

This is the best thing that's ever happened to me, by far.

Oh, I'm gonna ruin my makeup. [ Laughs ]

I've never been to Hollywood, I'm not much of a city girl,

but I'm beyond excited.

I'm going to Hollywood!

[ Cheers and applause ]

[ Squeaking ]

Here, can you hold this? Lionel: Oh, wow.

Oh! Katy, come on.

[ As child ] I want a Viking hat.

♪♪

Oh, are those my braids?

Luke: Oh yes, Katy.

Lionel: Oh, I see it coming.

[ Balloon deflates ]

Sorry. Oh, your balloon farted!

[ Laughs ]

He has the big kit. I'm telling you, I'm impressed.

Are you making me a pink sword?

Uh-huh. Oh, yeah!

♪♪

[ Chuckles ]

There you are. Luke: Oh, goodness.

Mr. Keith!

Thank you, Mr. Keith!

[ Laughter ]

You're very welcome.

[ Angelic music plays ]

Lionel: You're good.

Luke, here, you can have my pink sword.

Thank you.

[ Balloon squeaking ]

You two kids are... Stop it. Stop it!

Stop it, Luke, I'm gonna have to take it away from you!

...creeping me out

with the sound of the screeching balloons!

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh!

[ Sobbing ] I know you've wanted to do that for a long time.

♪♪

Stay calm.

You know, aside from all the clowning around...

Little Luke, go to your room.

...this season of our nationwide search

for the next superstar has been filled with emotion.

I believe in you.

I'm so grateful that you guys even listened to me.

I love this show!

It's been triumphant.

[ Cheering ]

I'm going to Hollywood!

[ Laughs ]

...and packed with star quality.

[ Screaming ]

Having Lionel Richie think that I'm a star?

I am so proud of you!

[ Laughs ] Whoo!

I'm going to Hollywood!

And with "Idol," you never know

what kinds of surprises our contestants

have in store for us.

This is real life.

[ Laughter ]

Katy: Whoa! Luke: Hey!

[ Normal voice ] So it's not just a big meal.

No. [ Laughs ]

Who are you?

I'm Amber Fiedler.

Amber, and where are you from?

Couer d'Alene, Idaho.

Couer d'Alene! Oh!

You guys were there last year, so you saw my hometown.

[ Laughs ]

Well, how old are you? 23.

You're 23, and how far along are you?

38 weeks. [ Laughs ]

Whoa! That's like--

We could have a live birth on "American Idol" right now.

I was like, "Stay in there, baby!

Stay in there!" [ Laughs ]

Well, that's exciting. Yeah.

Do you know what sex it is?

It's a girl. Ah, congratulations.

Yeah, it's a girl.

Do you have a name picked out?

No, um, I'm actually placing her for adoption.

So, yeah.

You are? Oh, wow.

Wow.

Yeah.

And how did you come to that?

♪♪

It was definitely hard growing up.

My mom was a user most of my life,

and so my grandma's the one that raised me.

♪ I know you can't let me go ♪

The last few years, I was going out, and...you know,

drinking a bunch, and I was getting caught up in life.

With this pregnancy, I've learned who I was as a person.

I've had time to sit and think,

and looking at the big picture of life,

there's days where I don't even have $20 in my pocket.

If I'm not ready to be a mom, why would I--

why would I put her through that, you know?

With the family that I chose, they're gonna be able

to give her everything she wants,

and, um, I know I'm not gonna be able to do that.

And so... I don't know, it's just...

[ Chuckles ]

Sorry. [ Chuckles ]

♪ I release you ♪

♪ From the darkness ♪

I think she's gonna really...

I'm hoping, anyways, that she's really gonna

understand that I'm trying to choose the best for her.

♪ I hope that someday ♪

My mom's clean now, and she has been for four years,

and so we are building a relationship.

We just kind of need each other in this time.

Your journey has been very long,

and there's been so many trials and tribulations.

You're an amazing human being, and you make me very proud.

♪ I hope that some day ♪

Having the time to really think and reflect on my life,

the baby, she saved me.

She really did.

And so, thanks. [ Chuckles ]

♪ And you'll release me, too ♪

I don't know if I could pull that off,

but that's an adult, very strong decision.

Thank you. Thanks. It feels good.

It's gonna be an open adoption,

so she'll know me and stuff, but...

Aw. Yeah, so...

That's so sweet.

Well, Amber, what are you gonna share with us today?

I'm gonna be singing "Trust in Me" by Etta James.

Alright, go ahead.

[PIANO PLAYING]

♪ Trust in me ♪

♪ In all you do ♪

♪ Have the faith ♪

♪ I have in you ♪

Wow.

♪ Love will see us through ♪

♪ If only you trust in me ♪

♪ Why don't you ♪

♪ You trust me? ♪

♪ Come to me ♪

♪ When things go wrong ♪

♪ Cling to me, daddy ♪

♪ Oh, and I'll be strong ♪

♪ We can get along ♪

♪ We can get along ♪

♪ Only if you trust in me ♪

[ Sighs ] You've got it.

You've got it. You can do this.

♪ While there's the moon ♪

♪ The moon up high ♪

♪ Whoa, birds ♪

♪ Birds to fly ♪

♪ While there is you ♪

♪ You and I ♪

♪ I will be sure ♪

♪ That I love you, oh ♪

♪ Trust in me ♪

Whoo! Very good. Very good.

Take a deep breath. That's with a foot in her ribs.

[ Laughter ]

Yeah.

[ Laughter ]

Oh, my gosh.

That was so good.

Lionel: That was good. Luke: Yes.

Thank you. Very good.

Very, very timeless sound.

Very easy to listen to.

It was just timeless, in my opinion.

You were totally, absolutely, positively in control.

You definitely have a really big shot...

[ Chuckles ] ...at going far if you want to.

I really do. [ Chuckles ]

She wants to.

Hollywood week is one week after your...

Yeah. Near my due date, I know.

[ Chuckles ] I know.

You may be late, you may be early.

Amber: I might be early.

Yeah, I'm just like, if it's meant to be,

it's all just gonna work out.

Now let me just say this.

All joking aside, you nailed it.

I mean, really and truly, I think you did fabulously well.

Thank you so much.

You know, we can't begin to imagine what you've been

going through these past few months,

but, you know, putting it out there

and talking about it helps many, many other people too.

Definitely, yeah.

Oh, I think there are a lot of girls out there struggling

with exactly what you struggle with.

Yeah. Very commendable.

Lionel would like to put his name in the hat for Godfather.

Hey, listen. Alright, alright.

Listen, listen...

Katy: We're here to support you through this process, okay?

Thank you. You're not alone. Alright?

Thank you.

Let's do a vote. Are you ready for this?

It's a yes from me, okay?

It's a yes from me.

Thank you.

It's a yes from me.

You're going to Hollywood!

Aah! Don't run too fast!

Slow, slow, slow, slow, Mom.

♪ She taught me how to fight ♪

Maybe you're not ready to be a mom,

but you are ready to be an "American Idol."

Thank you. Very good. It's a good time.

Thank you so much. Congrats.

Holy cow.

Aah!

Do you hear that, baby?! Yeah!

Be careful walking-- Quit running!

[ Screaming ]

[ Laughs ]

I fulfilled my dream today by getting a golden ticket.

I'm so excited. [ Laughs ]

My dream for the baby is that she lives

a beautiful and happy life with the life

that I have chosen for her, and I know she's gonna, so...

I'm going to Hollywood! Whoop, whoop!