‘American Idol’ Recap: Lionel Richie Is Wowed by Singer’s Take on His Song
ABC/Eric McCandless Reading Time: 2 minutes
American Idol Season 21 returned on Sunday night with another batch of auditions. They included appearances from two former The Voice stars, as well as an incredible performance of judge Lionel Richie’s song “Hello.”
Singer Performs Lionel Richie’s Song on American Idol
During Sunday’s episode, singer Olivia Soli auditioned for the show with a cover of “Hello” by Lionel Richie. She sang the famous song while playing piano, showing off a powerhouse voice. After the performance, Richie hugged her.
The judge called Olivia’s audition the “best so far,” and Luke Bryan agreed. Katy Perry praised Olivia for putting her own spin on the song. All three judges voted “yes” to giving Olivia a Golden Ticket to Hollywood.
Another strong audition from this week’s show came from Preston Duffee, who shared that music helped him cope after his mother died by suicide. He performed the first song he ever wrote, earning a standing ovation from the judges. Perry compared him to a young Luke Bryan.
The episode ended with a performance from Elijah McCormick, who survived a terrible car accident on his high school graduation day. Bryan compared him to late Season 19 runner-up Willie Spence, and Perry predicted he’ll be in the Top 10.
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The Voice Alums Audition for Season 21
Sunday’s episode also featured not one, but two former The Voice contestants. The first was Wé Ani, who viewers might remember as Wé McDonald from Season 11 of the show, where she placed third on Alicia Keys’ team.
Wé impressed the American Idol judges by showing off the contrast between her high-pitched speaking voice and deep singing voice. She earned a standing ovation for her performance of “Anyone” by Demi Lovato and received a Golden Ticket to Hollywood.
Later, Marybeth Byrd auditioned for the judges. You might remember her from Season 17 of The Voice, where she competed on John Legend’s team. She also earned a standing ovation for her cover of “If It Hadn’t Been for Love” by the SteelDrivers.
Marybeth received three “yes” votes from the judges to go to Hollywood. Bryan said she has a “very bright future” ahead of her, and Perry shared her belief that she’ll make it all the way to the Top 10 this season.
What was your favorite audition from this week’s episode? Let us know in the comments below.
