TV Recap: “American Idol” Season 19, Episode 1 – “Auditions”

Dim the lights, here we go…it’s time for American Idol! (ooowhoaoooowhoaooooo!) There might be a global pandemic, a downward trend in broadcast television viewership, and a bizarre new virtual family hub that reminded me of that TV torture chamber Marnie ventured inside on Girls, but Idol is back.

I’m so excited to be recapping Idol this season as I love to judge others (kidding) and I thrive when watching a good reality competition. I used to be a hardcore Idology student back in the day, so jumping back into the blue-tinted fray is a treat and a half.

For anyone just jumping in, we already have a ton of changes this year. To start, we no longer have specified cities for auditions. It’s all an amalgamation of various good and bad performances. The pandemic is in full swing, so those who pass the audition round must receive their ticket to Hollywood from a wall-of-gold as if they are just picking up a few things at a local Kroger. Everyone is separated by six-feet, until they don’t feel like it, and they get all up in each other’s business. The safety of the set is consistently up-for-debate. Cute!

The recaps for the audition episodes will be a straight up chronological look at who auditioned, how they fared, and if they have any chance of becoming the next American Idol.

Benson Boone has the greatest name in the history of mankind, so I already have to give him some points to start. Shoutout to his parents for setting him up for an eventual career as a YouTuber and/or professional video game player. He’s only been singing for a year, which makes no sense to Katy Perry (and me, for that matter). It’s such a bizarre statement, as if he just started in the car one day and went “Wait, vocal chords can do that?!”, turned up the radio, and rolled the windows down to shout about his discovery. He dresses, flips, and is set-up to be a contestant made for TikTok, which is not necessarily a bad thing. Popular TikTok thirst-trap Noah Beck is name-dropped, which brings up my favorite interview answer ever. Benson jumps on the piano and has a very wonderfully decent voice. Some of the affectations to his voice are indicative of the pop music culture we are currently in, but his voice is still good. There is a smoothness about his vocals that makes me think some training (within or outside of the competition) could really help him hone his craft into something special. His falsetto, too?! Forget about it! Katy says he could win the whole competition, not specifying whether or not that could be due to his TikTokiness. He moves onto Hollywood, getting one step closer to me unironically buying a shirt with his name on it.

Alex Miller has yee’d so much haw that I’m not sure a yee can ever haw again. From a small town in Kentucky, he likes the slow and uneventful. So, of course a nationally broadcast reality program is the next step! He walks into the audition room with the most incredible embroidered shirt I have ever seen. Colorful, intricate, evocative. It should be framed at the Grand Ole Opry. He said goodbye to his cows and hello to the judges by singing an original song (UGH) that was…fine. However, his voice sounded like Scotty McCreary by way of Hank Williams Sr. and I’m gonna have to lasso that boy a gold ticket! He’s just a tried-and-true sweetheart and I can’t wait to see how Hollywood Week completely ruins him, as it is historically, a complete and utter musical hostage nightmare. He sings with Luke, I melted, they all walk minus a mask, and I reformed into an angry anti-Karen solid to yell at my screen.

I have a lot to say about Mr. Jason Warrior. Is his voice like buttah? Darn tootin’. His tone is so effortless that I screamed at myself in my handheld Miss Piggy mirror, “You’re not good enough!” and I have my therapy transcripts to prove it. He gets a golden ticket, yet, this is Jason’s third reality singing competition. He was on The Voice, but didn’t make it far. He was on The Four (pauses for everyone to google “What is ‘The Four’?”), yelled at Meghan Trainor, and was promptly eliminated. Now he’s on Idol and Lionel Richie is telling him to forget everything in his past and start fresh. I get that and I love his voice, but like, that’s too many singing shows, right? Is there a way for all reality competitions to ban a contestant from a lack of…winning? He did make the song his own, as Lionel also stated, but a third show? Far too much. 

Ryan Romano takes the silver medal at the Great Name Olympics. He struts into that room with a mermaid sequined blazer (ok!), a red-headed Bieber bowl cut (okay!) and a keytar in hand (OOOHHHH-KAY!!). Inspired by Elton John, he’s ready to show his stuff amidst his insane amount of *whispers* extravagance! Unfortunately, he’s not good. He plays wrong keys, has a shaky falsetto, and is very nasally. Yet, he takes the criticism in stride and sells Katy Perry his jacket for $400. Took those lemons and turned them right into lemonade…then built a lemonade stand and made a profit!

Anilee List started her path towards auditioning for Idol after watching James Turbin jump into the fray on season 10. Seeing someone like her, a singer who is diagnosed with Tourette syndrome, was the push she needed to pursue her dreams. She was able to meet James when she was younger after performing at a conference for…wait…is she singing in a Paradise Pier Hotel conference room?! I didn’t think my “Take a drink every time a contestant is shown singing in a Disney hotel ballroom” game would work! Her voice is so wonderfully sweet, like a warm cup of coffee on a cold night. She has a beautiful control that allows perfect riffs to come out of her mouth as if it’s all in a day’s work. HOW, the congregation asks. A standing ovation from the judges leads to a golden ticket and James Durbin in the extraterrestrial webcam hub.

Danica Steakley’s audition was overpowered by her truly insufferable father who can neither take critiques, nor play the guitar very well. Danica was consistently embarrassed by him,professionally took the constructive criticism to heart, and made sure to work on her vocal strength. Dad, instead, had a hissy fit in the hallway. You deserve none of my time, sir. NEXT.

DJ Johnson had a lengthy story to tell, and with every detail, it became more heartbreaking. She’s one of ten children (!) and her mother has never been a comforting presence in her life. DJ mentioned how she was always put down by her mother throughout her life and I was ready to take off my hoops and put in my brass knuckles. Don’t hurt sweet DJ or I’ll throw some hands! Another bomb was dropped: her mother walked out on her family recently. She sings an original song chronicling the hardships she faced from her mother, but she can’t make it through without crying. Her dad comes in for moral support and she ends up finishing the song. Her voice is a bit shallow, which I will blame on the nerves and the tears, but Lionel commends her and appreciates her honest delivery. A golden ticket is awarded, quickly becoming the most glorious non-verbal “Screw you, MOM!” I've seen.

Nia Renee is close to perfect. *closes laptop, walks out of room* Seriously, she comes in and delivers “Chain of Fools” as if she just threw it away for the judges. “Oh this? It’s nothing, just some incredible belting and soul. Y’all can’t do the same? Weird, what a shame…” There’s an intriguing hollowness in her voice that left me begging for more, and luckily, we’re getting it ‘cause off to Hollywood!

The oft promoted pièce de résistance of the episode was Claudia Conway. Yes, the TikTok daughter of Kellyanne Conway of political “fame”. Now, these episodes were clearly filmed before the most recent developments with Claudia releasing a video of physical and emotional abuse from her mother, her attempt to become emancipated, and her father walking out on the family. With this in mind, the “excitement” from her mother and father about her attempt to join the Idol family was quite painful to watch. She sings two songs for the judges, after the initial Rihanna selection was deemed not right for her by Katy. She follows it up with an Adele track, and while it’s still not incredible, it’s much better than before. Claudia’s singing style is filled with motions and vocal “tricks” that are clearly with a TikTok audience in mind, but Katy and Lionel think that Hollywood Week will be the sufficient training needed to get her to a level of quality that is Idol-worthy. With only two yes votes, she makes it to Hollywood. But again, the most recent news in her life is a big ‘ole yikes, and I hope she’s ok!

Mario Adrion is a model in a speedo who sings a bad song about being too hot and wanting to sing. He’s annoying and vain and I hate it!

Finally, we are introduced to Grace Kinstler. Now, I have to admit, the commercial previews made it seem like she was a reincarnated Kelly Clarkson. Yes, I know Kelly Clarkson is not dead. No, I don’t know if a living reincarnation is possible. Get off my back! Yet, Grace began to sing “Midnight Train to Georgia” (She’s no Jenna Maroney, but I’ll let it slide) and I was sort of perplexed. It wasn’t…that good? She has a clear power in her voice, but she was not able to hold back when needed. It was all belting, all the time. Katy asks for her second song, “Natural Woman,” to not be phoned in. She wants her to feel the song deeper and give the performance actual emotional weight. Honey, I was gobsmacked. The second performance was controlled, richer, and filled with so much talent, it overflowed onto the floor. Ryan Seacrest needed to come in and mop it up with a dozen Shamwows! Luke Bryan cried, I screamed, and she grabbed her golden ticket with a beautiful humbleness.

It was a good start to this year’s Idol journey, here’s hoping the talent only grows from here. If it doesn’t, I’m ready and able to break microphones.