The Sunday Scaries might become a thing of the past since the 18th season of ABC’s American Idol kicked off, especially with the abundance of talent that host Ryan Seacrest seems to be sending through the door. In fact, there were so many incredible voices on the third night of televised auditions that judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry, and Lionel Richie barely got to comment on some of the aspiring young performers.
And, in reality TV, not all of the talent is necessarily great, but if it makes it to television it’s usually, at least, interesting. Remember William Hung?
With the third night of auditions, we’re also more than halfway through the initial journey for these future superstars. But there’s always room for more in Hollywood!
KIMMY GABRIELA (17) – Lakeland, Florida / high school student
Dad is her biggest musical inspiration
LIONEL: “That was fabulous.”
KATY: “Top 10.”
LUKE: “Her first note, I was like…yup.”
AMELIA (23) – Phoenix, Arizona / musician
KATY: “You’re a dream.”
ERIN KIRBY (16) – Jasper, Georgia / high school student
KATY: “I don’t like it…I love it!”
JORDAN JONES (26) – Scottsdale, Arizona /
Proposed to his girlfriend following his audition.
LAUREN MASCITTI (23) – Nashville, TN / registered nurse
Accompanied by hit songwriter Shawn Camp
KATY: “I love the feeling and emotion in your voice.”
LIONEL: “I think what I love the most is you have this sultry quality of a storyteller.”
RYAN HARMON (24) – Lamar, Arkansas / podcast host
LUKE: “Your voice is pretty dang good, I’m just trying to wrap my head around if it’s American Idol…Don’t let people tell you stuff and let time pass you by.”
LIONEL: “Trust yourself to go to Nashville and get into the business.”
COURTNEY TIMMONS (22) – Harris Neck, Georgia / security guard
Finagled her way into the auditions through Ryan
LUKE: “Are we being punked? So amazing.”
KATY: “You can sing…You are probably the best singer we’ve seen today.”
LIONEL: “You can sang. You are a bird, girl.”
LAUREN SPENCER-SMITH (16) – Vancouver Island, Canada / high school student
LIONEL: “Amazing control and as much as I want to critique, I think you just did a great job.”
LUKE: “I think your voice is super interesting. You have this tone that is making us very intrigued by you.”
KATY: I think you have such a God-given gift. You may be 16, but that voice is a thousand years old.”
DEWAYNE CROCKER Jr. (23) – Pensacola, Florida / worship leader
Great-grandmother came to meet Lionel
LIONE: “I think that I like the timbre of your voice…I think you’ve got the goods.”
KATY: “I really want to tear down that wall and emotionally connect.”
DILLON JAMES (26) – Bakersfield, California /construction worker
Former addict
LUKE: “I think it was really just done with feeling and honesty. And your voice is a little not what I expect. It’s almost got this Chris Isaak thing going on.”
KATY: “You are mysterious. I’m intrigued. You have this interesting presence. It’s a bit like country post Malone…I love a spiritual cowboy.”
GEENA FONTANELLA (27) – Los Angeles, California / musician
KATY: “I think you’re very personable. I think you have a great voice.”
LUKE: “I think, in the verses, you have a really cool sound. I think just dig in a little more.”
LIONEL: “I love the character. You walk out on stage and we want to get to know you.”
JARED LETTOW (26) Santa Barbera, California / engineer
Yodeler
LUKE: “I’ve hit my yodeling quota for the year.”
KATY: “I think you definitely have one of the coolest party tricks I’ve heard, but I don’t think you’re right for American Idol.”
SHANNON GIBBONS (20) – Bellcourt, New York / musician
KATY: “I’m not letting any more people go through unless they’re at least as good as Shannon.
LUKE: “It’s our new standard.”
ISAIAH GRASS (29) – Aiken, South Carolina / model, actor and social media influencer
KATY: “You have a lot of range. It’s true, you can sing. I think you are more of a musical theater star, possibly, more than an American Idol star.”
LUKE: “Man, I just think you’re theater all the way through. You have a big, boy voice.”
GENEVIEVE LINKOWSKI (20) – Goodrich, Michigan / social media influencer
Made it to Hollywood on season 16, took a year off after sister passed away in car accident
LIONEL: “Tragedy can either destroy you or make you stronger. You have grown. You are no longer singing, you’re performing to the point I couldn’t stop watching you.”
After three nights of televised auditions, the talent continues to show up for the newest season of American Idol and frontrunners and favorites are already tentatively rising to the top. Of course, everything can change in Hollywood as tensions rise and group dynamics change. There are two more nights of auditions before the contestants head west on March 16 for the first night of Hollywood competition.
