American Idol's school shooting survivor tells their story -- and a heartwarming reunion with the military, as well as a supporter of their daughter who was born during their audition.
It was a difficult night on American Idol, with one tear-jerking reunion of family members, a second-generation contestant in "Idol", and a heartbreaking tale from a survivor of a school shooting.
School shootings are now more common in America, and will be more normalized. The school shooting survivors will start to appear more often on reality shows such as his, sharing their stories and trying to bring about change. These children are looking for solutions to these tragic events.
Katy was devastated when he told his story. He had been through so much, that Katy had to cry and express outrage that so many children just like him have suffered this for so long.
As one contestant, a young contestant, was surprised by the surprise of her life, the tears continued to flow as a Top 6 finalist returned from the show to support the girl who was born during her original audition in 2006. She was trying to start her "Idol" journey.
Fair warning: I will probably be harsher than my coworkers Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan because I am safe at home. However, I may be nicer. Maybe.
To make it more fun, I will rank the performances in order of worst to best to find my favorite performers each week. This way, I can easily see who is the best and you can vote with your approval.
Cody Winkler
[[Video not yet available]]
(Under a Neon Halo," Bill Green, 25, Marion TX) Cody chose to sing a cappella a throwback honky-tonk track that sounds almost like it was from another time. He has a charming demeanor but that is not his best. The voice is just... okay. The voice is just okay. It could be someone who enjoys singing while driving his truck, or feeding his cattle. But it doesn't seem like it was made for greater dreams.
(Unwound, George Strait) Katy asked Luke to help Cody and Cody pulled him into a George Strait classic. Cody sounded exactly the same. We don't believe he has it right now. Cody seemed a little star struck and out of his element. However, this performance was entertaining enough to dance and drink at a honky-tonk but not on this stage. Lionel likened him to Willie Nelson who can sing whatever notes he wants with a lot more character.
Results Y. N. N.
Madison Neisius
("Kids in America," Kim Wilde, 26 Dallas, TX) Although we only managed the chorus, Madison knew how to rock. Although it was a strong vocal, we only had a small portion of the song to see how her talent was. Katy's performance was the highlight of the audition. Luke did a mullet and a little bit of her hair was dragged out. After a few lines of "Achy Breaky Heart", it was Lionel's turn. Katy lost it. It was hilarious, but did Madison manage to make it funny? Based on what we saw, it would have been easy to pass.
Results: Not Revealed
Caroline Kole
("Firework," Katy Perry – 25, Nashville, TN, This was a very shaky start to the episode but Katy was happy to hear her hit the "Baby", high note, as that's what makes the episode. She was inconsistent in her pitch, which was surprising considering she later proved that she can sing. Perhaps her nerves were getting the best of her, but we can see that she has had many almosts and not yet the break. Although the tools are there, the training and skills to use them properly (or the intuition) is not. Judges saw magic in her and they hope this will bring out that magic.
Results: Y.
Ashley Tankard
(you broke me first") Tate McRae, 22, Durham, NC She had been told 14 times "no" fourteen times before she was allowed to sing in front of the judges. We are grateful that they gave her such a shock and joy at receiving this news. Her enthusiasm was so overwhelming that she almost fell over when she got up to sing in front of the judges. Although it was a bit shaky at times and the pitch fluctuated from time to time this was an extremely difficult song to cover. Tate's unique intonation is so current, but it doesn't allow for much power or range. It's more of an individual piece. Although it didn't sound right for Ashley's voice this was where Katy took her "school" and taught Tate how to enunciate and tried again. The second run was much clearer and her warble sound more like a cry than an uncertainty. It made a big difference to shake off those first-time jitters. Can she overcome her own limitations? Katy fought for her, saying she would fight in Hollywood. Lionel was reluctant to allow her this chance.
Results Y. Y. N
Stefan Benz
[[Video not yet available]]
("One Last Cry," Brian McKnight, 16, Centurion South Africa) Although it was quite simple vocally, Stefan did a great job. From what we know, he has a wide range and lots of power.
Results: Y.
Pink Frustrated: Media Focus on "Silly Feud" instead of "But I've Never Lilied"
Aiden Adair
[[Video not yet available]]
("Break My Heart Again", FINNEAS, 19, Clover, SC, Aiden is anxious and nervous, so it's no surprise that he was able give any inflection on this track. Yet, despite his nearly-stony frame, he managed to produce a pleasant tone and a great pitch. It was not vibrato so it was just precision in hitting the notes. Although it was held back, it was still one of those moments that is truly a diamond in the rough. Imagine if he thinks this is the moment he has, and he opens his eyes to let it all out.
(Let It Go, James Bay) Aiden saw it too. They literally helped him shake off his nerves and see that the judges are real. Although his movements were still awkward and stiff, the character of his voice emerged from his throat and took center stage. It was exactly what we had suspected. This journey could be a miracle if he can do it with just one small exercise.
Results: Y.
McKayla Stancey
("She Used To Be Mine") Sarah Bareilles - 16 Wichita, KS It was a wild moment for McKayla as she made her second appearance in "Idol" 16 years after her debut. Phil Stacey joined her for her audition. He made it to the Top 6 on Season 6 in 2006. He missed her birth for his audition. We all got to meet McKayla together at the hospital, and the cameras followed him there. Paul Abdul was able to connect with them both in a sweet moment and they were able to meet again. We wish McKayla all the best for her big day.
Phil stated that he was "passing on the baton" and that he even accompanied her audition on piano. It was a very sweet moment and McKayla gave a solid performance. McKayla has some serious pipes and a deep voice. We were impressed by her control and range, switching from louder sounds to quieter, almost whispery notes. Sarah was able to interpret the notes the same way she did. She is a student of the craft but needs to be careful that it's not too precise and clinical. The song is full of emotion. She has all the tools to connect artistically and emotively.
Results Y. Y. N
Brendan Fraser, Ke Huy Quan and Michelle Yeoh Honor Perseverance and Representation by Winning the SAG Award
Alessandra Aguirre
[[Video not yet available]]
("Love on the Brain," Rihanna, 20 Lima Peru) Although we only saw a small portion of the audition, we loved the passion and grit on display. Rihanna is not an easy singer to sing. We got moments of chorus that proved she was capable. That little growl was also a favorite of ours.
Results: Y.
Jeverson
[[Video not yet available]]
(Try a Little Tenderness, Otis Redding 28 St. George's Gredada). This guy is the real deal. Although we only got a glimpse at his audition, it was so full of attitude and passion that we were able to believe what we had seen. His audition was filled with the same authenticity Otis brought to the song, telling us that he can get into the music and find the truth.
Results: Y.
Kaylin Hedges
("I’m Already There," Lonestar, 15, Pound Ridge NY) Kaylin says that in order to help her pursue her musical passions, he was deployed to "dangerous locations" in order to get her to New York. She has missed his birthday nine times in succession, and she expressed how much she had not seen him in person. With her background in musical theater, she is a bit of a performer vocally.
Although she has a great instrument, and made great choices with the song, she must now figure out how she can reach into her emotions and connect them to the lyrics. We began to see her true voice in the final measures. If she can let go of the pageantry, she has an amazing weapon in her throat.
Katy then shared in a very sweet moment that her dad had sent her a video message saying that he missed many things but that he was still there. So take a look around. He was there when she did exactly that. It was an amazing surprise. And thank goodness they waited after to show it off. The couple continued to show their goodwill by surprising mom with a surprise and bringing her in. Kaylin was awarded the coveted Platinum Ticket for all of these surprise acts.
Results: Platinum Ticket
Matt Wilson
(For Tonight") Giveon - 21 Buffalo, NY Matt nearly gave up dreaming. His wife helped him regain that spark. We are so happy she did. He has an uncanny gift and is clearly not aware of how great he really is. His voice rose with richness to a beautiful falsetto, and he stepped down into the lower register with precision. It was all done with real heart. It was a moment of pure magic. You can hear the spark of something special, if you just listen.
Results: Y.
Jon Wayne Hatfield
(Tell Me Ray") John Wayne Hatfield-21, Goshen, OH This original song Jon Wayne composed after his grandfather revealed to him the news of the passing of his grandmother (John's best friend for 50 years) Jon was raised by his grandparents so this was scary for him, but John insists it did not change anything between them. We needed the song to be beautiful and it was. This was country-y and beautiful, especially with the way it sounded. Jon is an amazing performer, he can only use his voice and guitar. He's also a damned fine player. This tells us that he is a performer to watch if he can read and interpret other people's songs as well as his own, or has a great lineup of originals.
Results: Y.
Nutsa
("Lady Marmalade," LaBelle, 25, Tbilisi (Georgia) Nutsa had longed for the opportunity to be on "American Idol" for eight years. After a 17-hour flight from Dubai, she came to sing and dance. We were so happy for her. With a voice that Christina Aguilera would be proud of, she hit the mark. Even the choices she made were reminiscent of Christina's version of the song. But the bottom line is that Christina has one of music's greatest voices, and Nutsa was just about on par with her. We're not sure we could even comprehend all the facets of her incredible instrument.
Whitney Houston's "Greatest Love of All" Katy challenged Katy to this challenge, in order to eat all the extra sauce (Xtina style). You can skip the dancing and just sing from your heart. We said all the tools are there, she has one of the best arsenals we have ever seen. But does she have the ability to use her voice at any level or for any given moment? Then, she delivered a beautiful rendition of the song with some tweaks to make it hers. We knew Katy had the talent, but we are glad she pushed to prove it.
Results: Y.
Woody Harrelson SNL sketches Ranked: Trump Derailment. Whale, Cologuard, and Anti-Vax Rant.
Trey Louis
("Stone") Whiskey Myers 21 Santa Fe, TX Trey closed his eyes and placed his hands in his pocket. This was his only move for the performance... it was amazing. He has the voice. He has that magical thing, but he doesn't know what to do. He knew enough to get here, but there's so much more he could do. He has a lot to offer, and he's got charm and personality. If he can improve his singing skills, that grit & gravel could take him far. Luke also called Chris Stapleton, the first name that came to mind. These are big shoes. But if you can fill them, you have it all!
Trey told Trey that a gunman entered his school and opened fire on Art Room 2, before moving to Art Room 1. He shared that he had lost a lot of his friends. Two teachers and eight students were also killed. It hasn't been a negative incident, it's just been man. Santa Fe has had a bad reputation since 2018. Katy was reduced by outraged tears. "Our country has failed us ------," she said. She told him. This is unacceptable. This is not okay. You didn't have to go through that f ------ Eight friends doesn't mean you have to go through that. I hope you will remind them that they have to make changes. "Cause, you're right, I'm scared too."
"We have tolerated this for so many years. Lionel agreed, "It's become a standard." Katy agreed that it had to change. "And I hope that you can just lead."
Trey was willing and able to carry that burden on his shoulders, representing school shooting survivors on the program. "It is important that I share my story for my home town. For Parkland. Columbine. He said, "For Las Vegas and many other cities." It is horrible to see the pain we live with every day. There is hope, there is optimism, all you have to do is chase it."
Results: Y.
For help with mental health call the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to connect to a certified crisis counselor.
"American Idol," continues Sundays at 8 pm. ET on ABC.
-----------------------------------
Title: American Idol 5th Judge: School Shooting Survivor's Story Triggers Katy Perry's Outrage
Sourced From: toofab.com/2023/02/26/american-idol-recap-school-shooting-survivor-outrage-second-generation-idol/
Published Date: Mon, 27 Feb 2023 07:21:52 +0000
Read More