American Idol returned on Monday night for the Season 24 premiere on ABC. During the episode, the show’s judges (Carrie Underwood, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan) heard some amazing auditions from talented singers at Belmont University in Nashville.
American Idol Premieres with Memorable Auditions
Monday’s Season 24 American Idol premiere featured a number of memorable auditions, including one from 16-year-old singer Lainey Grace from Alabama. She performed the song “Honest” by an artist named Kyndal Inskeep. As it turns out, 29-year-old Kyndal was also there auditioning for the show.
After Lainey performed the song on the piano, the judges invited Kyndal in to meet her, and they performed a duet of the song. Unfortunately, only Luke Bryan said “yes” to sending Lainey through. However, it looks like she made a friend in Kyndal.
As for Kyndal’s own audition, she performed an original song called “Prayer of a Trying Daughter.” The judges were impressed by her talent, with Carrie Underwood telling her, “You got stuff.” Kyndal earned a Golden Ticket to Hollywood Week.
Another notable moment from Monday’s show came when 26-year-old Bryant Thomas auditioned. His voice went viral in videos from his girlfriend Alyona in which he didn’t show is face. He started his performance of “Against All Odds” by Phil Collins from behind a pillar before revealing himself to the judges.
“Your voice is outrageous,” Underwood told him, before the judges presented him with a Golden Ticket. That’s when Bryant got down on one knee and proposed to his girlfriend, who gave him a fourth yes.
Some Auditions Brought the Judges to Tears
There was no shortage of emotional auditions during the American Idol Season 24 premiere. Keyla Richardson, a 29-year-old music teacher from Florida, brought Luke Bryan to tears after her performance of “Glitter in the Air” by Pink.
Bryan coached Keyla through part of the song, and her improved performance made him cry, as he said her voice will “stop people in their tracks.” The judges were also charmed by Keyla’s son Drew, who entered the audition room to show off his own budding talent as a singer. Keyla earned a Golden Ticket.
Later, 15-year-old Khloe Grace auditioned with a song she wrote called “Forever 13,” dedicated to Aubreigh Paige Wyatt, who died by suicide in 2023. Aubreigh’s mother Heather introduced her, and she and Khloe met for the first time.
Khloe’s emotional performance of the song in her audition brought Carrie Underwood to tears. All three judges voted “yes” to giving Khloe a Golden Ticket to Hollywood Week, which will take place in Nashville this season.
Another impressive audition from Monday’s American Idol premiere came from a 22-year-old artist called Brooks, who showed off a unique voice on a cover of “Your Place at My Place” by Joshua Slone. Bryan said he wanted to hear more from him, while Underwood called him a “unicorn.” Lionel Richie said he’s never heard another voice like his. Brooks earned three “yes” votes to move on.
The judges were also wowed by Lucas Leon, a 17-year-old singer from Tennessee who performed an original song called “Fall in Love Someday.” The panel gave Lucas a standing ovation, with Underwood predicting that he’ll go far. Richie called him “pure, honest, and very talented.” He earned three “yes” votes to go to Hollywood Week.
American Idol Season 24 will return next Monday night on ABC for the second episode of auditions, as even more singers perform for the judges in the hope of making it through to the next round of the competition.
What was your favorite performance from Monday’s premiere? Let us know in the comments below.
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
