Thirty-eight most memorable auditioners get sent to the next round after performing on the first day, while the rest are getting through fast elimination round.
- Feb 5, 2015
AceShowbiz - It's just the first episode since "American Idol" season 14 brought the show to Hollywood, but the competition is already tough. The Wednesday, February 4 outing began with the 38 best auditioners performing before the judges.
They included Jax Cole who delivered a slowed-down version of Britney Spears' "Toxic". The judges didn't give a direct comment, but Jennifer Lopez said to the other judges, "That's how you reinterpret a song without losing the melody." Hollywood Anderson put a twist on Adele's "Someone Like You", but it failed as the judges thought he changed it too much and lost the emotion.
Tyanna Jones, on the other hand, wowed the judges with her rendition of "Dance With Me Tonight" by Olly Murs. Blind contestant Garrett Miles nailed a cover of "To Make You Feel My Love", Savion Wright shone with an acoustic version of "Get Lucky", and Trevor Douglas would likely to go through with his performance of "I See Fire".
The nerves got the best of some other contestants like Shannon Berthiaume who forgot the lyrics of "Sir Duke". Amber Kelechi was afraid to go home after coming so far in the competition and her rendition of "Radioactive" by Imagine Dragons was all over the place. Some guitarists, meanwhile, forgot to tune their guitars.
Despite the flaws, all those 38 contestants who performed on the first day were sent to the next round, leaving the remaining 175 contestants to compete in a cutthroat lightning round on Day 2. They were divided into groups of 10 and each had only 10 seconds to sing for the judges.
Reno Anoa'i, Jaq Mackenzie, Erica Washington, Michael Simeon and Big Ron Wilson were among those who made it through, while many others were sent home. Gabby Zonneveld had a breakdown as she forgot the lyrics of Delta Rae's "Bottom of the River". Her fate, however, will only be revealed in the next episode that airs on Thursday at 8 P.M. on FOX.
