Chicago brought us Mackenzie Wasner, Brandy Neelly, and concluded with Lazaro Arbos’ sad story about stuttering in American Idol Season 12 Episode 2. Tonight the auditions continue in Charlotte.
We start off at the top of the show with talk about production shutting down in 6 hours due to (manufactured) drama.
Naomi Morris wants the judges to remember her for something other than her breasts. Not likely. Why do they give people like this the chance to sing more than once, yet refuse to offer moderately competent singers that same opportunity?
Joel Nemoyer can lie on the ground and sing with high clarity. This should be stupid.
Brian Rittenberry’s wife recently recovered from cancer. He sings Let It Be and receives praise from the judges.
Jimmy Smith says Keith Urban was his influence. He sings God Bless the Broken Road. Very good country singer.
Sarina-Joi Crowe, Haley Davis, and Na’chelle Fullins-Lovell advance to Hollywood, with the latter one making a special attempt to break glass.
Matthew Muse mostly sings karaoke. Get off my TV.
Isabel Gonzalez has been nominated by her aunt. The judges are thoroughly impressed. I like her a lot more than the last bus tour contestant.
Taisha Bethea is the lead singer in a band. She tells us she’s a rocker, but then she sings a Johnny Cash song. The judges are on the fence. Mariah and Randy say no, but deciding judge (based on location apparently) Keith lets her through to Hollywood.
Summer Cunningham jumps right into singing Lean on Me without much build up to it. That leads us to a little drama when she says she wants to sing soulful country rather than just country. The other three judges let it go fairly quickly and vote yes, but then we get to Nicki. And bickering ensues, followed by Nicki walking off stage. Where did that come from? This is what we kept hearing about before the season started and the media was hyping a rivalry between Mariah and Nicki.
After we see every talk show discussing this non-confrontation, day 2 begins. Brandy Alexandria Hamilton got in trouble for singing too much as a Navy reservist. She does enough to move forward, and she asks the judges not to fight because it makes her sad.
Ashley Smith wanders around the waiting room annoying everybody. Surprisingly, her singing of Cowboy Casanova does not continue the annoyance.
Nicki can’t remember people unless she gives them a stupid nickname.
Janelle Arthur has been singing since she was cast in a production at a theme park in the role of Dolly Parton at age 8. That may be where she got her start, but it looks like she’s going to keep going following this audition.
Rodney Barber sings on the street and refers to himself as the voice of Charlotte. He was homeless and thanks people for helping him get past it, so he hopes to pay it forward. His big voice impresses the judges, who are inspired by his story.
Candice Glover was cut in Vegas last year. She says she’s learned who she wants to be as an artist, and she tells us people compare her to Joshua Ledet, the person who received the most ridiculously over the top compliments in the history of the show. She’ll be heading back to Hollywood.
Ja’bria Barber wants to invite the judges to eat some frog legs. They won’t be taking her up on that, but they like her voice and personality.
Brad Harris used to break chairs with his head in school. He doesn’t think it did any permanent damage. I’m not convinced. The judges decline to give him a ticket or a handshake.
Seretha Guinn has dealt for the last year with her boyfriend’s serious accident, and she hopes to return to him with a surprise that will lift his spirits. She sings The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. What? But it works like a charm.
Stay tuned to dingoRUE for another live recap of American Idol Season 12 Episode 4, which airs Thursday at 8/7c on Fox.