Well, American Idol auditions are over and, despite my hesitations about this Idol season, the last night of auditions featured some really steller talent that I’d bet would make it into the live shows let alone the finale. I’ll be back next week to analyze those who got by further, but here is a rundown of everyone who got a golden ticket at the last American Idol audition stop in San Francisco.
Adanna Duru
Adanna is a diamond in the rough. Sure, being on The Voice probably shaved down some of her rougher edges despite the fact that her Voice tenure consisted of two 20 second montage-relegated clips. In her Idol audition, Adanna ripped into Lady Gaga’s “You & I” which really soared once it hit the chorus. With a little more attention to her look and a bit more vocal definition, Adanna has a bright future on the show.
Hunter Larson
First of all, Hunter Larson is a great stage name and luckily she has the talent to match. While her sweet and raspy didn’t blow me away, this Amy Adams lookalike will have room to grow in Hollywood.
Tara Honda
Perhaps if we had heard the whole song I would have felt differently, but the short clip they showed portrayed a very serviceable but karaoke-ish Carole King cover.
Daniel Seavey
I wish they hadn’t let Daniel through. Not because he’s not talented (he clearly is a well versed, accomplished musician) but because he’s not ready for the big Idol stage. His voice (creaky and unsettled due to being in the throws of puberty) is under baked and will only get better by the time Daniel gets closer to high school graduation as will his confident but somewhat detached performance style. In a few years, he could be a tween Idol sensation, but right now he’s not ready.
Rocky Peter
Rocky might have been my favorite audition of the night. A acoustic folk rocker originally from Africa, Rocky had a sweet humble spirit and a radio-friendly rock voice that I would listen to Idol or no Idol.
Jaq McKenzie
JLo was right, Jaq is talented but her performance felt too juvenile. I don’t think the lackluster original song (sang a cappella) helped her, but her delivery felt angsty and uneasy. Perhaps she’ll come back on season 16 (and ultimately loose to Daniel) and wow me, but this time was a miss. That all being said, Charlie XCX (who isn’t much more talented than Jaq) sold 30,000 copies of her recent album in the first week. So what do I know?
Tianna Jones
If Jaq is a Charlie XCX wannabe, Tianna is Janelle Monae Jr. in the best possible way. This feisty teen has star power written all over her from the powerhouse vocals to her winning, easy personality. She has more to show, but with the help of some mentors, Tianna could be 10 ten material easily.