“American Idol” auditions continued with the fifth episode of Season 20 on Monday, March 21. This installment of the ABC reality TV competition saw judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie wrapping up initial tryouts and handing out the final Platinum Ticket to Hollywood.
So who was the best of the night? And did these aspiring stars choose the right songs? Below I rank each hopeful from the least impressive (but with room to grow) to a possible Season 20 frontrunner. I also throw in a song suggestion or artist I’d love to hear them cover.
SEE Everything to know about ‘American Idol’ Season 20
Below are my rankings for all 10 Hollywood-bound singers from worst to best:
10. Saylor: Nobody should go through what this contestant has so I sincerely hope that her father sees this audition and reconnects with her. Saying that, nerves played a factor in this audition despite a perfect song choice for her voice. Once Saylor gets her nerves under control, she could be one to watch out for in Hollywood. As far as song choice goes, I would recommend Avril Lavigne’s “When You’re Gone”.
9. Kaylin Robertson: Auditioning with her boyfriend, I am sure Kaylin had high hopes for both to advance but fate intervened. Kaylin has great voice but this audition was not exactly memorable. Here’s to hoping for a better song choice in Hollywood Week because she could be incredible singing anything from the catalogs of Trisha Yearwood or Dolly Parton.
8. Morgan Gruber: Morgan wanted a change of scenery (from farm to Hollywood) and with one great song choice partnered with her incredible voice, she will get indeed that. Despite obvious nerves, Morgan showed that she has a timeless voice that will allow her to really excel in Hollywood. I would love to hear her cover of Dolly Parton’s “I Believe”.
7. Tobias Hill: Another contestant battling obvious nerves was Tobias Hill. Despite these nerves, Tobias managed to wow the judges with his energy, musicality and voice. I am definitely curious to see how he does in the first round of Hollywood Week before really judging how far I think he will go in the infamous “Idol” pressure cooker. As song choice will be imperative to his success in that round in particular, I am hoping for a Motown hit like Smokey Robinson & the Miracles’ “Tears of a Clown”.
6. Cameron Whitcomb: Cameron Whitcomb is a classic-voiced country singer that truly has no clue how good he is and how much potential he truly has in this competition. If he listens to the guidance of the judges, Cameron will go from amateur to confident fairly quickly. Racking my brain for a song recommendation, for Cameron in particular, was more difficult. I ultimately landed on anything by Eric Church since he reminded me of him.
SEE ‘American Idol’ episode 4 auditions ranked: All 10 Hollywood-bound singers from worst to best
5. Emyrson Flora: In terms of “raw talent”, this contestant has that in droves. Her audition and song choice was not that memorable but my gut tells me that we have yet to see the best that this contestant has to offer. My suggestion for a song choice is Taylor Swift’s “Red”.
4. Sir Blayke: Another contestant that I would classify under the umbrella of “raw talent” is Sir Blayke. I preferred his cover performance, his original song was not my particular cup of tea. Saying that, there is no denying that Sir Blayke has potential and there is nothing more fun than watching an underdog succeed. As far as song choice goes, I would suggest a Bruno Mars cover.
3. Jay Copeland: Jay Copeland might be the best performer (at least vocally) that we’ve seen this season. I cannot wait to see what song he tackles next. I truly believe that he will be in the live rounds. With his Platinum Ticket in hand, he is well on his way. In terms of song choice, I would love to hear him sing “Blue Suede Shoes” by Elvis Presley.
2. Carly Mickeal: This might be one of the most heartwarming auditions this season. Between her pitch perfect vocal and her father’s impeccable piano playing, it was near impossible not to feel chills. Something tells me that this contestant will do very well in Hollywood. In terms of a song suggestion, I would love to hear her take on Lady Gaga’s “Million Reasons”.
1. Skyler Maxey-Wert: Saving the best for last on the night, “American Idol” gave us this gem of an audition. If his talents were only limited to dancing, I would be in awe of him. But adding this vocal ability brings even more excitement to the competition. I cannot wait to see what Skyler sings next and I would go as far as saying he is the best singer of this particular episode. I would suggest Andy Grammer’s “Fresh Eyes” as a potential song choice.
With the talent pool compiled by the judges, we are in for an incredible season of “American Idol.”
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