American Idol Season 23 returned on Sunday night, as the Top 24 singers traveled to Disney’s Aulani Resort in Hawaii to perform for a crowd on the beach. The first half of the contestants were mentored by Ashanti, with artist in residence Jelly Roll also giving them advice.America’s vote will determine who moves on.
The Voice Alum Covers Luke Bryan on American Idol
One of the most memorable performances from Sunday’s new episode came from Victor Solomon, who previously competed on The Voice. Victor chose to do something a little unexpected by covering a country song. And not just any country song, but one by judge Luke Bryan.
Victor took the stage to perform “That’s My Kind of Night,” rocking a cowboy hat and jeans. Bryan joked that he has to “retire the song” after hearing Solomon’s version of it. The judge said he was “super honored” that Victor chose to cover his song, telling him he “can truly outdance me.”
Lionel Richie told Victor, “You were so solid on Luke’s song, Luke was worried. It was amazing. I love it.” Carrie Underwood told Victor that his voice is “perfect for every genre of music,” which is something she’s not sure she’s seen before.
Host Ryan Seacrest suggested that Victor should give Bryan a dance lesson before he goes on tour. The judge hopped on stage to try out a few new moves.
Baylee Littrell Puts an Interesting Spin on ‘Happy’
Baylee Littrell chose to sing “Happy” by Pharrell, sharing that he used to perform the song with his dad Brian Littrell’s group, the Backstreet Boys, on the road when he was a kid. He chose to put a slower spin on the song, prompting Jelly Roll to wonder why he seemed unhappy singing a song called “Happy.”
He ended up bringing more positive energy to his final performance of the song, as he had the audience and judges clapping along. Lionel Richie commented that Baylee seemed to be getting more comfortable on stage, while Carrie Underwood said he was “owning your voice and your moment more.”
Baylee wasn’t the only singer to put a different spin on a well-known song during Sunday’s show. Slater Nalley delivered a country-infused cover of “Over the Rainbow” from The Wizard of Oz, strumming the guitar as he sang. Richie commented that the 17-year-old is “way out over his age group.” Bryan said Slater is “gonna get to do music for a long, long time.”
Platinum Ticket Winner Kolbi Jordan Wows the Judges
Sunday’s episode also featured a performance from Platinum Ticket recipient Kolbi Jordan, who sang “New Attitude” by Patti LaBelle. Kolbi showed off a powerhouse voice and a great stage presence. She had the judges smiling and the audience dancing along.
The panel was on their feet before the song was even over. After not feeling well during Hollywood Week, Kolbi obviously bounced back for her Hawaii performance. Lionel Richie said she was “on fire,” adding that he “loved every minute of it.”
Luke Bryan said it was “one of my favorite performances I’ve ever seen on this island,” praising her song choice. Carrie Underwood said Kolbi represents her home state of Oklahoma so well, saying, “I felt like I was at The Kolbi Show.”
America’s vote will determine which contestants move on to the next stage of the competition. Voting for the first half of the Top 24 closed on Monday morning. Voting for Monday’s group of singers will be open during the episode and remain open until 6 a.m. ET the following day.
Words by:
Jill O'Rourke Jill O’Rourke is a contributor at Talent Recap, writing news stories and recaps for shows like ‘AGT,’ ‘The Voice,’ and ‘American Idol.’ She graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in English and Film Studies, and has been writing about pop culture since 2012, with previous bylines at Crushable and A Plus. Jill spends her free time binge-watching sitcoms and daydreaming about life as a hobbit
