Here we go, the first season without Simon Cowell. Seems the best they could do is Randy Jackson as the head judge, to be joined by Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez. Let’s just hope it doesn’t suck too bad. On a positive note, at least they didn’t invite Brad Womack on the show (sorry, ABC, I ain’t watching him again, and apparently 2 million people agree).
We start things off in New Jersey, of all places.
Rachel Zevita was cut in Hollywood day 1 during season 6. Shoulda stayed cut. Decent voice, but I can’t see it getting her any further. Nonetheless, J-Lo pretends to remember her. Three reluctant judges let her advance to the next round for one more shot.
Caleb Hawley has a strong voice and manages to show us what we can expect from Steven Tyler, a lot of weird noises.
The age range has been changed this year, which brings us the very first 15 year old, Kenzie Palmer. I don’t know that we necessarily need to go any younger on this show, but they’ll be hard pressed to find a much better singer. That said, Randy and Steven give her a hard time. They weren’t feeling it, but they’ll let her through anyway.
Achille Lovle has brought us a Madonna song all the way from the Ivory Coast. Bring it back. Jennifer feels bad dismissing this very bad singer.
Dance instructor Tiffany Rios has decided to come on this show rather than the hundred dance shows out there. She made up an original song for the auditions, a bad idea not helped by the glass shattering note she hits, but her voice gets her through it.
Robbie Rosen was in a wheelchair growing up. The problems he had eventually went away, so now he’s walking just fine. He sings Yesterday by The Beatles. He’s one to watch.
Boy Scout Chris Cordeiro is here to waste our time. Well, at least we get a PSA against texting while driving squeezed in there.
Michael Perotto has been singing for years and thinks people would tell him if he sucked. Oh, they’ll tell you that and more.
Ashley Sullivan is awkward, which she embraces. Her idol: Britney Spears. Didn’t she used to be a singer? The judges just smile and nod. After some embarrassing begging, Jennifer and Steven invite her to Hollywood. She looks forward to going somewhere more exotic than New Hampshire.
16 (and 3/4) year old Victoria Huggins has come from North Carolina. I half expect her to say the most important thing to her is world peace. The somewhat cartoony and overly sugary voice turns out to be decent when she’s singing.
Melinda Ademi has come with her war refugee family from Kosovo. Singing I Ain’t Got You by Alicia Keys, she rounds off day one on a positive note.
Devyn Rush is a singing waitress. People actually pay to see that? I even hate it when they make a big deal out of singing Happy Birthday. The judges are caught off guard by her voice, which they weren’t expecting to be good enough.
Yoji “Pop” Asano will be completely pointless. He has decided to sing Party in the USA, while dancing like Michael Jackson. Good thing the judges are entertained. Too bad I can’t share in their enthusiasm.
Brielle von Hugel shows up with a flower in her hair. I was thinking maybe she was from Hawaii like Jasmine Trias, but no, she’s from Staten Island. The judges think she has work to do, but she has potential.
The final contestant of the evening is Travis Orlando, who grew up in the Bronx. He sings Eleanor Rigby by The Beatles and I’m Yours by Jason Mraz. In spite of his nerves, he’ll be heading to Hollywood.
Stay tuned to dingoRUE for another live recap of American Idol Season 10 Episode 2, which airs Thursday at 8/7c on Fox.