[dramatic music]
[crowd shouting]
- Hollywood Week,
it's not my comfort zone
because I never thought
that I would ever be here.
- You've got the magic in you.
- I've always
wanted to do music,
but my goal feels
so tangible now.
- ♪ Standing tired ♪
- I came too far...
- ♪ On your feet ♪
- To ever let this
slip through my hands.
- ♪ You wanna dance ♪
- You take this into
the world, and you're
gonna fracture some souls.
- ♪ I wanna lead ♪
- I know that music is
what I'm gonna do
for the rest of my life...
- ♪ A sleight of the hand ♪
- So I'm hoping that
"Idol" will be the ticket.
- ♪ Anyone, close your eyes,
just follow the inner light ♪
- I will work so hard to prove
that I am ready for this.
- ♪ Falling ♪
- To be here is
a little surreal.
- ♪ Deeper ♪
- I'm one step closer to
being the American Idol.
- ♪ Into ♪
- Welcome to Hollywood Week.
- ♪ The light ♪
- Tonight, our most talented,
undiscovered artists to date
have come together.
- I'm on "American Idol."
- I'm in Hollywood.
- The stage is set,
a Hollywood Week like
you've never seen before.
- ♪ I think about the love
you gave every day ♪
- Whoa.
- Brand-new Hollywood Week.
- It's time to
rewrite the rules.
- ♪ The hope you gave
and took it away ♪
- For this new first
round of Hollywood Week,
the finalists got to
choose one area where
they want to see improvement.
- ♪ I would risk it all ♪
- The categories are
confidence...
- I chose confidence
because I cannot get that
self-doubt out of my head.
- ♪ And took it away ♪
- Songwriting...
- ♪ If you give me a chance ♪
- I chose songwriting because
I got a lot of stories to tell.
- And stage presence.
- ♪ I wasn't ready ♪
- Stage presence because
this is my first time
on a stage like this.
- Everybody comes
together, and they think
that they're the golden child.
And they realize, oh,
they're not alone.
There's so much talent.
- The numbers of contestants
in this room,
they're gonna go
down and down and down.
- Things get hard, but you
just got to keep fighting.
- ♪ No ♪
- Watching from above are
three platinum ticket winners
who earned the right to skip
the performance challenge
and go straight to duets.
- Oh, yeah.
- Now, for the first
time in "Idol" history...
- I think we have room for
one more platinum ticket.
- I think that's right.
I think that's right.
The judges picked one
contestant from each city.
And during the AMAs,
America voted on a fourth
platinum ticket winner.
Let's bring them out right now.
The three contenders.
- Come on out.
[cheers and applause]
- From Nashville,
Elijah McCormick.
- Come on.
Come on.
That was amazing.
- From the Vegas
auditions, Haven Madison.
- So on another level.
- And from our stop in
the Big Easy, Matt Wilson.
- Sky's the limit, my friend.
- ♪ Happiness ♪
- America has voted.
I've got the results.
Good luck to all three of you.
Dim the lights.
- Oh, my God.
- And here we go.
[cheers and applause]
[tense music]
After the nationwide vote,
America's
platinum ticket winner is...
♪ ♪
Elijah McCormick.
Congratulations, Elijah!
[cheers and applause]
While Elijah is now exempt
from the first round,
Haven and Matt
must still perform.
- Oh, my God.
This is crazy.
- Platinum ticket winner
Elijah, everybody.
Let's get it started.
Hollywood Week begins right now.
- ♪ Here we go ♪
- Hello!
- Hey!
- And we brought
back "Idol" veterans
to help this new group
of Hollywood hopefuls
with their category challenges.
For songwriting,
Phillip Phillips
and Catie Turner.
For confidence, Clay Aiken
and David Archuleta.
And for stage presence,
Justin Guarini
and Jordin Sparks.
- I'm very, very excited.
As you guys know, stage
presence is all about the life
that you bring to the stage.
- We're your songwriter
mentors this week.
- It's amazing that
"American Idol" lets you
sing your own original songs.
- We'll work on some of
those confidence steps
that we did to try to
either have more confidence
or at least fake it, in my case.
- First up in choosing
to work on her stage
presence is 25-year-old...
Nutsa!
- Hi!
- We meet again.
- I always wanted to
come to Hollywood.
- You got it?
- Yeah.
And it happened.
- What was it like
when you got home
and started telling people
you made it to Hollywood?
- For us, America
really big thing.
Of course, for me too.
It's crazy.
They're like, wow.
Hello.
- Hi, Nutsa, hi.
Welcome, welcome.
- Here to mentor
the stage presence category
is "Idol" alum
and season one runner-up,
Justin Guarini.
- It's wild to me, having
been on the very first season,
to be able to come
back and say here's
little tweaks that will
take you from going
home to going to the big show.
- ♪ Getting me ♪
I choose stage
presence because I
think I really need it.
My problem is that I feel always
that I have a lot of energy.
- Mm-hmm.
- ♪ Mama ♪
♪ Oh, oh ♪
- I think maybe it was
turned up too hot, too hot.
- You were doing
"Lady Marmalade" and all this
other stuff
and putting on a show.
- I love when you do this.
- Right?
We know you can do that.
We know you can do that.
What you need to show is you can
have that same energy and that
same intensity when you're
just standing like this.
- Mm-hmm.
- What would happen if
you were imagining
singing this to yourself
and then just letting go?
- Mm-hmm.
- 'Cause what's
the song called?
- "I Surrender."
- Hello.
Perfect song for you.
[cheers and applause]
- [chuckles]
- Here we go.
- Here we go.
- ♪ 'Cause I surrender
everything ♪
♪ To feel the chance
to live again ♪
♪ I reach to you ♪
- Wow. What happened?
- ♪ I know you can
feel it too ♪
♪ We'd make it through ♪
♪ A thousand dreams
I still believe ♪
♪ I'd make you
give them all to me ♪
♪ I'd hold you in my arms ♪
♪ And never let go ♪
♪ I surrender ♪
♪ Oh ♪
♪ Every night getting longer ♪
♪ And this fire's
burning stronger, baby ♪
♪ I swallow my pride,
I'll be alive ♪
♪ Can't you hear my call ♪
♪ I surrender ♪
♪ All ♪
♪ Oh, oh ♪
- [chuckles]
- ♪ I reach to you ♪
♪ I know you can feel it too ♪
♪ I surrender ♪
[holding note]
[cheers and applause]
- Wow!
[hopeful music]
- Oh, my God.
- I have chills everywhere.
- Thank you guys.
- Oh, my God.
- Whoo-hoo, I feel like we have
the best talent this year.
We have crazy talent this year.
- It's really good.
- We have crazy
talent this year.
This is the best season.
- It is.
- With no direct
feedback from the judges,
Nutsa has to wait
for her results
until the rest of her
line has performed.
- Fun.
- That was so good.
- Next, selecting the
confidence category,
is Amory, Mississippi's
Colin Stough.
- This experience is
really just teaching
me how to dream, you know.
It doesn't matter
what your first name
or your last name is.
If you want it, go get it.
And I had a hard time
believing that
and taking that in, myself.
- This is gonna change
your life, young man.
- I hope it does.
- ♪ To you, I'm just a man ♪
- On a plane.
Finna strike out for LA.
- ♪ The hell am I
supposed to go ♪
- Out here in LA...
[chuckles]
You know, I ain't ever seen
so many buildings in my life.
[laughs]
For the performance challenge, I
picked confidence to work on.
Looking back,
maybe I should have picked
performance 'cause
I've never really performed.
Back at home, I'm an
HVAC service tech.
I've never been onstage, though.
Never.
So this will all be new for me.
I'm singing in this place.
- Living the big life.
- Look at that chandelier.
That's got more lights on
it than my whole house does.
- ♪ Grass, trees, and dew,
how I hate you ♪
- I want to make it through
more than I've ever wanted
anything in my life, probably.
- ♪ Please turn those
headlights around ♪
- My name's Colin Stough.
I'm from Gattman, Mississippi.
- I'm sorry, what is it?
- [chuckles]
- Colin Stough.
- I still can't...
- Colin Stough.
- Colin Stough.
I've been working on
my Hollywood voice.
[laughter]
I'm gonna be singing
"Stone" by Whiskey Myers.
[soft guitar music]
♪ ♪
♪ Well, the night
is my companion ♪
♪ ♪
♪ And the highway is my home ♪
- Mm.
♪ ♪
- ♪ They say that Jesus
was a poor man ♪
♪ ♪
♪ Guess I need a
little more Him in me ♪
♪ ♪
♪ Make it easier
going on living ♪
- I love this.
- ♪ In heartache and misery ♪
♪ ♪
♪ Sweet, sweet heart of mine ♪
♪ I'm gonna break
again a million times ♪
♪ Is this too far gone ♪
♪ Or have you
turned to stone ♪
♪ ♪
[cheers and applause]
I hope I did more than enough
to make it to the next round.
But confidence... man, that's
why I chose the category.
I lack it a lot.
- And facing her own
struggles with confidence
is mother of three Sara Beth.
- There's a lot of
really amazing singers.
This is all kind of overwhelming
for someone like me.
So I haven't ever really
done any music stuff.
- And we called in
the perfect mentor
to help with confidence,
"American Idol"
legend Clay Aiken.
- Sara Beth.
You look exactly like
I dreamed you would.
There's a pressure,
I think, that comes
when you feel like this is the
make-or-break moment for you.
Some contestants,
I think, have gotten
too much in their heads.
- ♪ Roxanne, you don't have
to wear that dress tonight ♪
- I watched your auditions.
You sang two songs.
- I did.
- Infectiously lovely.
I don't know who just
sang in front of me.
I want the person
who I saw audition.
When I was on the show, I
really didn't have confidence.
- Yeah.
- But you can fake it.
And if you fake it one
time, you'll have it.
It worked for me.
- Yeah.
- It's gonna work for you.
- ♪ And I don't wanna leave ♪
- I don't really even know
what show business is.
And then, like, I came here,
and, like, it's just, like,
a little taste of it.
And I'm like, whoo!
I've been a mom since I was 18.
You know, I've been
married since I was 18.
And I don't feel
like I fit, like, the mold,
so I'm trying to
figure this all out.
I don't know.
- If that nerves thing
is because you're worried
that you're gonna mess up,
then you got to get rid
of it because they
are gonna love you.
- ♪ I don't want to
ruin the moment ♪
- I don't think I
realized quite how hard it
would to be away from my kids.
They're all still really young.
Feel like I'm gonna try
my best 'cause I'm here
and so that's what I should do.
[cheers and applause]
There's a lot of
guilt that comes when
you leave your kids
to do something,
like, completely selfish.
I'm just gonna try to
keep my head on straight.
[soft music]
♪ Roxanne ♪
♪ You don't have to
put on the red light ♪
♪ Those days are over ♪
♪ You don't have to sell
your body to the night ♪
♪ Roxanne ♪
♪ You don't have to
put on the red light ♪
♪ Roxanne ♪
♪ You don't have to
put on the red light ♪
♪ Put on the red light ♪
♪ Put on
the red light ♪
- Yeah.
- ♪ Put on the red light ♪
♪ You don't have to
put on the red light ♪
♪ You don't have to put on
the red light ♪
♪ Roxanne ♪
[cheers and applause]
[mellow music]
- ♪ Then you're
driving me home ♪
♪ And I don't want to leave ♪
- This opportunity
is really rad,
but this is actually
gonna be my last
performance cause I'm...
My heart's at home,
so I'm gonna get
home to my babies.
They kind of need me.
So thank you.
Thanks.
- What just happened?
She's gonna leave?
What's happening?
- ♪ Before ♪
- This is actually gonna be
my last performance.
I'm gonna head
home to my babies.
Thank you.
- What just happened?
She's gonna leave?
- No.
We're gonna figure this out.
- Yo, what the heck is going on?
[dramatic music]
- I'm going home.
It went a lot better
than I thought it would,
but I'm gonna head home
to get home to my babies.
- That was a mistake.
- But the thing I see in
her is her fighting spirit.
- Get her in here.
- Let's bring her in.
- Yeah, go get her.
- Bring her in. Bring her in.
- Sara Beth,
I know life is scary.
- For sure.
- I also know that
it's easier to walk away
than to be rejected.
But, then, I also
know that you lose out
on your fullest potential.
And I know that you love
your family, for your kids.
I know that, as a mother.
But remember,
self-love is just
as big as motherly love.
Don't leave the competition.
♪ ♪
- Thank you.
♪ ♪
- It's all up to you.
- As Sara Beth continues
struggling with her choice,
the judges must decide
the fate of her line,
which includes
Nutsa and Colin Stough.
- This voice is better
than this voice,
but this voice is
more identifiable.
- Right.
- It's hard.
- Seeing all the talent,
a big part of me
feels like I'm not cut
out for show business.
Like, I feel like...
Yeah, I don't know.
- Gee.
What are we gonna do, y'all?
It's a tough year.
- It's tough here.
- ♪ We've heard that there
is no way through ♪
- Thanks for being here.
We want to be the last
people that dictate
where your music journey ends.
So no matter what happens...
- ♪ Seen what you can do ♪
- Don't look at this
as the end of the line.
Look at this as an
opportunity to grow...
- ♪ God, we believe ♪
- As you're going
through to the next round.
Congratulations.
Thank you guys.
- ♪ From the impossible,
we'll see a miracle ♪
- Ah!
I made it.
- Man, I don't know.
I thought my heart was finna
fall out on the ground.
[chuckles] It's beating so
hard, to be honest with you.
I'm very excited.
I'm ready to... ready to
go to the next round,
give them something else.
- Mwah.
- Sara Beth?
Sara, can you come
to the T, please?
Hi.
Hey, girl.
You've opened a door you
never thought you would open,
and you got a yes.
And you may get another
yes in the future.
Do not give up.
[cheers and applause]
- I appreciate you.
- ♪ Move the immovable ♪
♪ Break the unbreakable ♪
♪ God, we believe ♪
- I'm really humbled
and grateful.
And Katy had some really
nice things to say.
- I don't know what your
kids think about you,
but you are a ball of energy.
- Kallon, I think you might
get to see me on TV.
[laughs]
You know, I said my kids
were a little older.
I understand how big of
an opportunity this is.
I still kind of want to go home.
- ♪ God, we believe ♪
- I'm sure that when I
get home, I'll regret it.
I probably will go, damn, Sara,
you should have stayed,
and you should have done it.
- Man, that sucks.
- It's tough.
- It's not easy for anyone.
- ♪ God, we believe for it ♪
- Everyone has their own story.
- While Sara Beth's "Idol"
journey comes to an end,
the all-new performance
challenge continues.
And our finalists were asked
to pick one
of three categories to work on.
- My name is Jon Wayne Hatfield.
This week, I chose songwriting.
- I picked the
confidence category.
- I chose stage presence.
But after hearing
everyone, I'm like,
should I have chose confidence?
Because...[laughs]
I'm like, yikes.
- Also working on stage presence
is 21-year-old Marybeth Byrd.
- The element of stage presence
that I'm trying to focus on
is to really tug at
the judges' hearts.
My goal is to show the
judges that I do have
an emotional, vulnerable side.
[soft music]
♪ ♪
♪ It'll be fine by dusk light ♪
♪ I'm telling you, baby ♪
♪ These things eat
at your bones and drive ♪
♪ Your young mind crazy ♪
♪ To you, you're just a man ♪
♪ To me, you're all I am ♪
♪ Where the hell
am I supposed to go ♪
♪ I poisoned myself again ♪
♪ There's something
in the orange ♪
♪ Tells me you're
never coming home ♪
♪ Ooh, ooh ♪
♪ Ooh, ooh ♪
♪ You're never coming home ♪
♪ The grass, trees, and dew ♪
♪ How I just hate you ♪
♪ Oh, please turn those
headlights around ♪
♪ Please turn
those headlights ♪
♪ Around ♪
[cheers and applause]
- Oh, my God, that little
growl came on top too.
- Marybeth Byrd for the win.
- I really just was in
the moment with that song.
And that's why it really
resonated with me.
[exhales sharply] All the
emotions, all the emotions.
- Up next, the 19-year-old
burger cook
from Amory, Mississippi,
Zachariah Smith.
- ♪ Cause sometimes love
don't feel like it should ♪
- You're not
flipping no burgers.
- Not again.
Burn the apron.
- [laughs]
- My wife, she's my backbone.
She's what keeps me running.
When I met her, she had three
kids from a previous marriage.
And to make the decision to take
on three kids at a young
age, I knew that was
gonna be a very big step.
- ♪ If I didn't have you ♪
- The oldest is ten years old.
And I think what shocks
most people is that I'm 19.
But my kids are my world.
♪ You're as cold as ice ♪
For the performance challenge,
the song I'm singing
is "Cold as Ice" by Foreigner.
♪ You're willing
to sacrifice our love ♪
- OK, well, first of all,
you're not gonna
do it like that because
you are giving me nothing.
- I decided to
focus on confidence.
I always grew up
singing in church.
This is a whole new stage.
It's a whole new ball game.
- We know you're good.
Now just be you.
- OK.
- Just sing it with that
k*ller voice, your way.
- Coming from you,
that... that's fantastic.
- Well, it took me a while
to figure out who I am.
- I'm still doing that.
- I'm still doing it too.
And I'm... years old.
- We're all gonna...
- So I got to bleep
that part out. [laughs]
- I loved talking to Clay.
He was one of my mom's
favorites from past Idols.
I think he saw that
I had more in me.
♪ Oh, yeah ♪
- Damn, son.
OK.
That was a whole
different performance.
[cheers and applause]
- My name is Zachariah Smith.
I'm 19 years old, and I really
want to show my kids that when
you put your best foot
forward, you can actually
make your dreams come true.
[applause]
[rock music]
♪ ♪
♪ You're as cold as ice ♪
♪ You're willing to
sacrifice our love ♪
♪ ♪
- ♪ You never take advice ♪
- Come on!
- ♪ But someday
you'll pay the price, I know ♪
♪ I've seen it before ♪
♪ It happens all the time ♪
♪ You're closing the door,
you leave the world behind ♪
♪ You're digging for gold,
you're throwing away ♪
♪ A fortune in feelings ♪
♪ But someday, you'll pay ♪
♪ Yeah ♪
- Whoo!
♪ ♪
- ♪ You're as cold as ice ♪
- Work it!
- ♪ Yeah, mm ♪
- It's in his blood.
It's in his blood.
- Yeah.
- ♪ You're as cold as ice ♪
- Yeah!
That's how you do it.
- I know.
It's a little kooky,
but it's natural.
And if you just give it
bowling bumpers, right?
- Bowling bumpers, bud.
- Bowling bumpers.
- Bowling bumpers,
did you say that?
- Up next, Hannah Nicolaisen
will be the first to sit down
with songwriting
mentor Catie Turner.
- Can I do it?
- Yeah.
- Really?
You trust me?
- Yeah!
- OK.
- In 2018, Catie
was one of the first
to wow the judges
with an original song.
- ♪ People on the airwaves
always preach who I should be ♪
- That is such a good song.
You're a spectacular songwriter.
- Hi.
Catie Turner is very quirky and
just this kind of wild energy.
And so getting to talk with her,
I feel really
excited because she
can help me grow into the
artist that I hope to be.
- So tell me about yourself.
- I played volleyball in college
for the last five years.
So...
- Wow!
- Yeah, I don't
necessarily think of myself
like a artist-musician
all the time.
♪ Oh, it's been a long day ♪
I don't have a lot of experience
but so looking forward to
sharing a song that I wrote.
- Wow!
- Thank you.
- That was incredible.
Your tone, your lyrics,
the structure of the song.
This comes naturally for you.
I'm a big fan.
I'm freaking out.
- [laughs]
- That was so good.
- I was just gonna
ask you, as somebody
putting yourself out there,
how did you
mentally prepare for that?
- Don't put that
pressure on yourself.
When I performed my own
originals, I was scared.
But, you know, if I go
home singing an original,
I know I did it my way.
Go on your own terms.
- ♪ Oh, my own mind ♪
♪ Has been leading me astray ♪
♪ Chasing all the things
I think I need ♪
♪ When what I need has
always been the same ♪
♪ ♪
♪ Slow it down ♪
♪ Is this even what
I want right now ♪
♪ Or am I going through
the motions again ♪
♪ Am I going through
the motions again ♪
♪ Am I going through
the motions ♪
♪ Again ♪
[cheers and applause]
- ♪ So this is acceptance ♪
- Sometimes we see something
special in that first audition
and then when you get to
Hollywood, it's different.
It's actually better.
- Zachariah.
- Hannah.
- Marybeth.
You're going through
to the next round.
- ♪ But this is not the end ♪
- I may be out of the
burger business soon.
Who knows?
But they're great
burgers, so I'll...
I'll for sure always eat them,
for sure.
- I'm so excited.
I'm so proud.
I'm just... I'm very
proud of myself.
- ♪ Over and over ♪
[cheers and applause]
- Your voice is so good.
I wish I had your voice.
- [vocalizing]
[cheers and applause]
- That was what we
call spectacular.
- Spectacular.
- I'm sorry, the show is over.
- I really want to
make it through.
- My heart's racing right now.
- ♪ Really wanted it all ♪
- Hollywood is not the place
to try and play it safe.
And our next contestant, Wé Ani,
is hoping to surprise the
judges for a second time.
- Hi, guys.
I am going to be
singing an original song
for you guys today.
Judges, I need your
help with this.
I want you to sing
something back to me.
- Light it up.
- That's what we want.
- Audience, you guys can
do it, too, if you want to.
♪ I, I wanna know ♪
♪ What you're good for ♪
all: ♪ I, I wanna know ♪
♪ What you're good for ♪
- Although I'm going to be
singing an original song,
for my performance
challenge, I decided
to work on stage presence.
All right, let's get it.
[upbeat music]
I chose stage presence
because it's that it factor
that people look for.
And you have to make
it loud onstage.
♪ Prioritizing doesn't seem
to be your strong suit ♪
♪ If it was you, I bet that
you would know what to do ♪
♪ You think I'm crazy 'cause
I know that I care too much ♪
♪ But do you really
think I give a...[grunts] ♪
♪ If my patience wasn't
thin, my mind was at ease ♪
♪ And won't you
please make me happy ♪
♪ I don't know
why you're here ♪
♪ If you're wasting
my time, let me know ♪
♪ So I can find another guy ♪
♪ I, I want to know
what you're good for ♪
♪ Yeah, I, I wanna know
what you're good for ♪
♪ Yeah, I, I wanna know ♪
♪ What you're good for ♪
♪ Good for ♪
[cheers and applause]
That was awesome.
I just got a standing
ovation from everybody.
It was so amazing.
All: ♪ I wanna know
what you're good for ♪
- Aw!
All: ♪ I, I wanna know ♪
♪ What you're good for ♪
♪ I, I wanna know
what you're good for ♪
- That was worth everything.
- I wonder if we're
psyching out our platinum
ticket winners yet.
- I wouldn't want to be
up in that booth up there.
[laughs]
- ♪ How will I know
if he really loves me ♪
♪ I say a prayer with
every heartbeat ♪
- As you sit in that
balcony and you look down,
how does it make you feel?
- I'm kind of nervous because
since there
is a lot of talent,
I do need to step up.
We all need to step up our game.
- ♪ How will I know,
hey, how will I know ♪
♪ How will I know ♪
♪ How will I know ♪
[cheers and applause]
- Cam, what have you
felt while watching
the other contestants?
- Um, a lot of nerves, actually.
- Really?
- Yeah.
- You've gotten more nervous?
- 'Cause so far, the talent
is just unbelievable.
- ♪ I'm 'bout to lose my ♪
♪ My mind ♪
♪ My mind ♪
♪ My mind ♪
♪ 'Bout to lose my ♪
- And, Elijah, has
it sunk in for you?
- Um, it has.
It's so much talent.
I mean, everybody's crazy
talented in their own way.
It's kind of nice 'cause
we don't have to worry
about being eliminated.
- ♪ Think about you
all the time ♪
[cheers and applause]
- How you feeling
up there, platinum?
[laughs]
- Watch out.
- ♪ Boiling heat,
summer stench ♪
♪ Neath the black,
the sky looks dead ♪
♪ Call my name
through the cream ♪
♪ And I hear you scream again ♪
♪ Black hole sun,
won't you ♪
♪ Come ♪
♪ In my eyes, indisposed ♪
♪ In disguises no one ♪
♪ Knows ♪
[cheers and applause]
- Yeah.
- Thank you.
- And yet another one.
- What has it been like,
to sit back, watch,
and know you're already through
this part of the competition?
- It's been really, like,
exciting
to, like, watch
everybody and stuff.
So, like, you just kind of
get to, like,
see, like, what's been working
and what hasn't been working.
- My name is Lyric Medeiros.
I'm 21 years old.
I'm from Honolulu, Hawaii.
- Remember we got into
a little bit of a tussle?
- ♪ I took
a Louisville slugger ♪
- Come on!
- ♪ To both headlights ♪
- Louder!
- My audition, they really said
they wanted to see more grit.
- You're too polite.
We know you got more than that.
- I feel stage presence
really helps with that.
♪ Line ♪
- You can sing a song
and just sing it.
- Right.
- And then you can sing a song
and you can feel it.
- Yes.
- Dig deep and believe
in those lyrics.
- ♪ I'ma walk on ♪
- I really want to show
them I got that grit, so...
- OK.
Let's go.
I would love to hear it.
- OK, OK.
[feedback whines]
I almost hit my...
I almost just chipped my tooth.
- It's OK.
Oh, no.
Your lip is bleeding, baby.
- Is it bleeding?
- We need a napkin.
- It was the stage presence.
- ♪ I'ma walk on ♪
- I think this song
captures grit perfectly.
I think they'll be a little
shocked when they see it,
if I'm being honest.
[light music]
♪ ♪
♪ The field was
bright with clover ♪
♪ I saw the finish sign ♪
♪ The path
of least resistance ♪
♪ Led to Hollywood and Vine ♪
♪ Can't beat the competition ♪
♪ 'Cause they just keep ♪
♪ Moving the line ♪
♪ Please give me
some direction ♪
♪ 'Cause they just
keep moving ♪
♪ The line ♪
[cheers and applause]
- I thought we smacked
all that out of her.
- No.
- We didn't.
- We didn't smack
her hard enough.
- But, then, you know why?
'Cause that's who she is.
- Oh, [bleep].
She went the other way.
- She didn't get the memo.
She did not get the memo.
[upbeat music]
♪ ♪
- Wé, Kaeyra.
- Malik.
- Olivia.
It's still your career
to nurture, grow,
because you're going through
to the next round.
- ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪
♪ Searching for new life ♪
- I don't want to sound cheesy,
but it really is an honor.
And I'm really grateful.
- Hi!
- Baby, you already
know how it is!
I'm so excited.
I'll see y'all later.
- Lyric.
I'm sorry, this is
the end of the
"American Idol" journey for you.
Thank you.
- I got a no, but I'm so
grateful for this experience.
Mahalo, "American Idol."
- Our performance
challenge is heating up,
and it's time for our youngest
hopefuls to take the stage.
- ♪ It's gonna be the
best night of my life ♪
- Hi, my name is Paige Anne.
I'm 16 years old
from Idaho Falls, Idaho.
The category I
chose is confidence.
- My name is Maddie Grace.
I'm 17 years old, and
I've been really trying
to work on my confidence.
- Nice.
Come on, have a seat.
- Thank you so much.
- 17 years old in Hollywood.
It's been so long since
I've done the show
that a lot of the
kids who are on it now
weren't alive when
I was on the show.
- So my mom actually
did audition.
- What season did
she audition in?
- Whichever one that
Clay Aiken was on.
[power whirring down]
- This is gonna be fun.
[laughs]
- ♪ It's gonna be
the best night ♪
- Paige Anne!
Hey.
- David's, like,
my lucky charm since
I got to meet him
at my audition.
- Hey, Jan. Hey.
- Oh, my gosh.
- So nice to meet you.
- It's so nice to meet you.
I have been a
huge David Archuleta
fan since I was really little.
I actually still have a
poster of him in my room.
Now Hollywood Week, in person,
in the flesh and blood?
Like, I hugged him.
I... it was so cool.
- I was here in 2008.
I was still in high
school, like a lot
of these contestants are.
It felt like it was ironic
that I'm helping mentor
with confidence because
that's, like, the thing
that I had an issue with.
- I'm a little scared.
- It's easy to be like, what
are the judges thinking of me?
Like, am I doing a good job?
I want you to focus
on all the hard work
that it took for you to be here.
If you connect to that emotion,
you'll be able to deliver
something more impactful.
- ♪ Wash over me ♪
♪ With your river of love ♪
♪ I believe you make me
want to sing ♪
♪ Hallelujah ♪
♪ Hallelujah ♪
♪ Hallelujah ♪
[holding note]
- These kids are showing up.
- The children have
taken over the building.
- ♪ It's gonna be the
best night of my life ♪
- Up next is 16-year-old
McKayla Stacey,
whose connection with "Idol"
goes back to before
she was born.
- ♪ I saw a photograph
from ten years back ♪
- So my dad was on
"American Idol" season six.
He made it to the top six.
- Phil Stacey.
- ♪ We were kids back then,
thinking ♪
- [squeals]
- Oh, my God!
- Jordin Sparks!
- Hi, babe.
- My mentor is the one
and only Jordin Sparks,
who babysat me as a child.
She really helped take care
of me during that season.
- This is such a moment.
- I know.
- Phil, where are you?
Where are you?
Oh, my gosh!
Oh, my gosh! Oh, my gosh!
Oh!
- It's so good to see you.
- Oh!
She was...
- I know.
I think I'm more nervous now
than I was on our season.
- Of course.
Of course.
Don't worry.
She's in good hands.
So you can go...
- I believe you.
- So I can mentor her, OK?
- Sounds good. I love you.
- For the performance challenge,
I've decided to work
on stage presence.
♪ Warrior ♪
- Mm, that was so pretty.
- [sighs]
- Don't be afraid to close
your eyes and feel it.
There's, like,
introspective moments.
And then you have to
open them and connect.
- OK.
I do love having all this
history with "American Idol,"
but it does add a
lot of pressure.
You know, people expect me
to be as great as my dad was.
♪ But now I'm a warrior ♪
♪ Now I've got thicker skin ♪
♪ I'm a warrior ♪
♪ I'm stronger than I've
ever been, and my armor ♪
♪ And you can never
hurt me again ♪
[cheers and applause]
- ♪ Hey, brother, hey, sister,
I'll never give up on you ♪
- There was a lot
of improvement.
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
- I'm so proud of her.
This is hard.
This is tough.
And there are some
incredibly talented people.
- ♪ I'll never give up
on you ♪
- Hi, everybody.
My name's Haven Madison.
I'm 16 from a small town
called Clarksville, Tennessee.
I chose songwriting.
And today I'm gonna
be singing an original.
How are you doing?
- How you doing?
- I'm Phillip.
- My name's Haven.
It's nice to meet you.
- Haven.
Very nice to meet you, Haven.
Being back for songwriting
is really cool.
I was writing songs
when I was on the show.
And I feel like "Idol" is
trying to find more artists
instead of just
incredible singers.
So what kind of inspires
you with songwriting?
Like, what do you
try to write about?
- I think it's kind of just how
I process my emotions.
My audition song,
"Fifteen," I wrote it
on the back of my hand, I
think, in one of my classes
sophomore year.
I wrote, "What If
I Want It Now?"
♪ What if I want it now ♪
My song for performance round
is called "Still Need You."
It's about my brother.
He was battling depression
and was kind of having
some suicidal thoughts.
- ♪ When we were young,
we were the ones ♪
♪ The kings and queens ♪
♪ Oh, yeah,
we ruled the world ♪
- I didn't really have anybody.
I didn't... I convinced myself
I didn't have anybody to talk
to, so I talked to my piano.
[laughs]
- I think writing, you know, it
is kind of our form of therapy,
in a way.
- Right.
It was pretty scary, trying
to go to school each day
and, like, not knowing if he
was gonna be home.
And, like, my parents taking
shifts at night, staying
up to make sure he was OK.
- ♪ If I was dying
on my knees ♪
♪ You would be the
one to rescue me ♪
- I wrote this song
as kind of my last hope
of convincing him
to stick around.
And now he's OK.
He's healing.
♪ I still need you ♪
- Man, that's a great song.
- Thank you.
- Did you write that
all by yourself?
- Yeah.
- Yeah. Wow.
Holy crap.
- [laughs]
- Lyrics, awesome.
Melodies, your voice...
Just stay yourself.
- Like, I remember when you
first showed me that song.
Remember in the car?
- I do remember.
- I did not actually
say anything.
I just cried.
- I remember that.
- You know, I'm
really proud of you.
And I think you got this.
- ♪ In simpler times,
we were friends ♪
[soft music]
♪ Before the pain,
it moved in ♪
♪ ♪
♪ Where do I even begin ♪
♪ ♪
♪ You're still my blood,
you've always been ♪
♪ ♪
♪ There's so much more
outside this town ♪
♪ There's more to see
than what you found ♪
♪ Hold on another day,
I can prove it to you ♪
♪ ♪
♪ And if you left
without goodbye ♪
♪ You would have missed
the tears I cried ♪
♪ Then you would never
know how I needed you ♪
♪ ♪
♪ Oh, I needed you ♪
♪ I needed you ♪
♪ I needed you ♪
♪ I still need you ♪
♪ ♪
♪ And all of those days
it hurt you to breathe ♪
♪ Were the same nights
that I couldn't sleep ♪
♪ And if you left
without goodbye ♪
♪ You would have missed
the tears I'd cry ♪
♪ Then you would never
know how I needed you ♪
♪ ♪
♪ Oh, I needed you ♪
♪ I needed you ♪
♪ I needed ♪
♪ You ♪
♪ I still need you ♪
[cheers and applause]
[hopeful music]
♪ ♪
I sat at the piano
as a broken teenager,
not knowing what the
heck was gonna happen
to my family and my life.
And to sing it on a stage in
front of three idols,
it was just really surreal.
- Massive star.
- Massive.
- I'm so proud.
She was able to make
that a beautiful moment
and hopefully touch
other people's lives.
[light music]
- The judges have made
their choices for this line,
featuring some of our
youngest contestants.
- "American Idol" is the
best university
you'll ever
come to in your life.
♪ ♪
If you win, you win.
And if you lose, you learn.
- ♪ I just need time ♪
- And you get better.
Maddie.
McKayla Stacey.
It's the end of the line.
♪ ♪
- Paige Anne, Haven...
♪ ♪
You're moving on
to the next round.
- ♪ Snapping one, two ♪
♪ Where are you ♪
- Congratulations to all of you.
- [giggling]
I do think
David Archuleta's advice
helped me get past this round.
And I wish I could have a
mentor for all the rounds.
[laughs]
- I did it. I did it.
- I did it, yeah! Thanks!
- That was amazing.
- Thank you.
- How's it going, man?
- Uh, pretty good.
How about you?
- It's going great.
It's going well for
your sister too.
- I literally... I got a yes.
I'm moving through.
- Oh, my God.
Unbelievable.
- ♪ And if
one more person says ♪
- I'm just marveled by you.
I think you did a great job.
And this is a terrifying stage.
I'm super proud of her.
I think she's amazing.
I introduced her to
America on "American Idol."
And so to me, this is
a great way to come back
and say I'm super proud of you.
I think you're amazing.
- Thanks.
- ♪ Cause I might snap ♪
- Welcome back to the
performance challenge,
where Hollywood hopefuls like
21-year-old day care worker
Matt Wilson are far
from home and risking
it all for their dreams.
- This is the absolute
longest I've ever been away
from my wife, my whole family.
I'm getting a little homesick,
I'm not gonna lie.
But I know that I'm
doing this for them.
That's what's driving me.
That's what's keeping me going.
♪ On the perfect day ♪
♪ I know that I can
count on you ♪
♪ Ooh, ooh ♪
♪ When that's not possible ♪
♪ Tell me, can you
weather a storm ♪
- God, y'all.
- ♪ 'Cause I need somebody ♪
- [laughs]
- ♪ Who would stand by me ♪
♪ Through the good
times and bad times ♪
So the mentor I got to work with
was the one and
only Jordin Sparks.
And I feel like my stage
presence is in a better place.
This is a song that I sang for
my wife, like,
when I first met her.
- What's her name?
- Her name is Melisa.
- Hi, Melisa. Hi.
- She gave me some
incredible tips.
- At some point, you
want to kind of just
ground yourself
and just be there.
Think about Melisa.
- OK.
- You know, whatever happens,
babe, I'm so proud of you.
I know that you're
probably nervous right now,
but just be yourself.
- That's your boo.
That's your baby.
- Yeah.
- She encouraged you.
That's why you're here.
She's your everything.
And if this is your
last time onstage,
you want to be able to
leave everything out.
- ♪ Sunny days ♪
- Ooh.
- ♪ Everybody loves them ♪
♪ Tell me, baby, can
you stand the rain ♪
♪ Can you stand it ♪
♪ Storms will come ♪
- Oh, God.
- ♪ This we know for sure ♪
♪ This we know for sure ♪
♪ Can you stand the rain
♪ Whoa ♪
♪ Can you stand the ♪
♪ Rain ♪
[cheers and applause]
[tense music]
I would love to tell my wife
that I got to the next round.
- I understand that feeling.
It's hard being here
without my family.
- Well, actually,
all my friends are singing.
I just called to
tell you I love you.
And then I'll call you and I'll
let you see the singing, OK?
- Stand by.
- [gasps]
- OK.
- OK. I love you.
God bless you.
I'll call you back. Bye.
[cheers and applause]
♪ ♪
- And what will you
feel today, when
you're singing in front of the
judges on the Hollywood stage?
- Aw, man.
Honestly, I'm thinking
of my dad, who couldn't
come out here with me.
I've chosen to
work on songwriting
because I'm always striving
to be a better writer.
♪ Don't go looking ♪
- Oh, man.
Great voice, dude.
- Oh, thank you.
- Yeah, love it.
When I was listening to it,
I was thinking about if
it would be interesting
to do something, like,
after you're playing,
to have some kind of moment
without the guitar,
right at the end,
of just your voice.
You have great control.
- Thank you.
I'm gonna be singing "Broken
Halos" by Chris Stapleton.
[tender music]
♪ ♪
♪ I seen my share
of broken halos ♪
♪ Folded wings
that used to fly ♪
♪ They've all gone
wherever they go ♪
♪ Broken halos
that used to fly ♪
♪ ♪
♪ Don't go looking
for the reason ♪
♪ Don't go asking Jesus why ♪
♪ We're not meant
to know the answers ♪
♪ They belong to
the by and by ♪
♪ They belong
to the by and by ♪
♪ I seen my share
of broken halos ♪
♪ That used to fly ♪
♪ Broken halos ♪
♪ That used to fly ♪
♪ ♪
[cheers and applause]
[mouthing words]
[upbeat music]
- Solid.
- I don't remember the last time
I played in front of people
cheering for me like that.
So it was really fun.
It was really a...
Whoo, I'm still kind of
coming down from it.
- Thank you for coming.
Thank you for trusting us.
You probably aren't gonna like
what we're about to tell you.
Because...
we think you're going to love
what we're gonna tell you.
You're going through
to the next round.
[cheers and applause]
- Yeah!
Whoo!
- Literally, my brain
is exploding right now.
- I made it through
to the next round.
- Congratulations!
- Oh, my gosh.
- My wife just kept saying,
no, you have to do this.
You have to.
And that's really why I'm here.
So I got her to thank
for all this.
And, man, I can't
thank her enough.
♪ ♪
- ♪ To be loved by you ♪
- Our next "Idol" hopeful
is 22-year-old Fire,
who auditioned twice to make
it to the Hollywood stage.
- My journey on "American Idol"
has been...[sighs]
- I'm sorry it
didn't happen today.
It's gonna be OK.
- Mm-hmm.
- We're gonna be in
Nashville in about a month,
and I'm gonna give
you a second chance.
- ♪ We all have sorrows ♪
- [vocalizing]
- Welcome to the family.
- I've been fighting.
And it just baffles
me that I'm here.
- I want you to sing
to yourself.
- OK.
For the performance
challenge, I've
decided to work on confidence.
♪ Measure up ♪
- OK, so a lot of looking
at the ground.
- I... I just don't want
to look at my face.
- Why not?
- I don't know.
Sometimes I just, you know, get
kind of, like, insecure
and stuff, so...
- You are here with,
like, what, 150 people
out of the whole country?
You're not here because you're
not good enough to do it.
♪ ♪
- I feel like I always
expect the worst.
Like, I've been through
so much in my life.
And I feel like...
the world is
against me a lot of times.
- For your audition
here, you need
to just think about the
trajectory of your life.
The first part, the verse,
is the vulnerable stuff.
It's the stuff that you've gone
through, which is behind you.
- Mm-hmm.
- The chorus is about now.
- Mm-hmm.
I like that.
- ♪ We all need
somebody to lean on ♪
- This is a huge, huge,
huge thing for me.
I'm glad I had that
second opportunity
to win the judges over.
♪ ♪
- She is not comfortable
standing up there.
- But in Hollywood,
I only have one shot.
- ♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh ♪
[tense music]
♪ ♪
- She is not comfortable
standing up there.
♪ ♪
[high-pitched ringing]
[soft music]
♪ I keep fighting voices
in my mind ♪
♪ That say I'm not enough ♪
♪ ♪
♪ Every single lie
that tells me ♪
♪ I will never measure up ♪
♪ Ooh, oh ♪
♪ You say I am loved when
I can't feel a thing ♪
♪ You say I am strong ♪
- Whoo!
- ♪ When I think I am weak ♪
♪ And I believe ♪
You know, I felt so
confident, and I felt like I
left everything on there.
And this opportunity...
Thank you, thank you.
Could just change
my life for the best.
And I would love to
provide the best life
that I can for my daughter.
- The stakes are also high
for another young mother.
- Hey, Noelle.
Hey, Nia.
- Hello, Mommy.
- Being here at "American Idol"
could definitely change mine
and my children's lives.
♪ And when this life is over ♪
- Guess what.
- [sobbing]
- You showed up.
- ♪ Ooh, child ♪
- Yeah!
- ♪ Things are gonna
get easier ♪
- For the performance challenge,
I've picked stage presence.
- Starting off with
the mic stand was good.
But maybe stay there
just for a little bit
longer because I feel
like there's beauty
and there's power
in being still.
I think we also just have
to focus on the cameras.
If you're saying to
make you feel my love,
you better tell them.
- Jordin really
helped me with making
sure that I'm delivering,
you know, how they suggested.
- What does the
song mean to you?
Because I feel like you have
so much emotion in there.
- I'm honestly working
on an ending marriage.
- OK.
- I'm...
- I'm sorry.
- And my kids.
- It's... it's still... it's still...
It's OK to grieve, though.
Like, it's still...
- It feels like somebody died.
- Yeah, yeah.
- But it's all good.
- Oh, baby.
- It's all good.
It's all good.
Ending my marriage changed
my life drastically.
- Don't be afraid of what
you're going through.
Use it.
- Use it. Got you.
- Use it, because it's gonna
propel you forward.
This is an opportunity
to live a dream.
- ♪ Mm ♪
♪ When the rain is blowing ♪
♪ In your face ♪
♪ And the whole world
is on your case ♪
♪ I could offer you
a warm embrace ♪
♪ To make you feel my love ♪
[cheers and applause]
- She's got a cool style.
- Great style.
- ♪ I know you haven't
made your mind up yet ♪
♪ But I will never
do you wrong ♪
- Wow.
- ♪ And I've known it from
the moment that we met ♪
♪ No doubt in my mind ♪
♪ Where we belong ♪
♪ I'd go hungry, I'd
go black and blue ♪
♪ And I'd go crawling
down the avenue ♪
- Play that stage!
- ♪ And I know
there's nothing ♪
♪ I wouldn't do, yeah ♪
♪ To make you feel my love ♪
♪ Oh, yeah ♪
♪ To make you feel ♪
♪ My love ♪
- Whoo!
- [holding note]
[cheers and applause]
- Wow.
- Thank you.
[upbeat music]
- I mean...
[laughs]
- I just want to
say, that was... that
was what we call spectacular.
- Spectacular.
- I'm sorry, the show is over.
- I mean...
- That was...
She worked that camera, y'all.
You better work that camera.
- You see how she played that?
[laughter]
- And now it's time for our two
young mothers, Lucy and Fire,
to find out their fate.
- ♪ Come lay here in my arms,
I can feel your heart ♪
- A lot of times,
people will say to us,
you threw away great singers.
What we're really trying
to find here are stylists.
♪ ♪
Lucy.
- Fire.
- Congratulations.
- You're going through
to the next round.
- ♪ When trouble
wrecks your mind ♪
- Hoo!
- Yes!
Yes, baby.
I'm definitely one step
closer to changing my life.
I'm... I'm elated.
- ♪ So, baby, I'll be
praying for you ♪
[Queen & David Bowie's
"Under Pressure"]
- Can you take pressure?
Wow, that's difficult.
If you can't take pressure,
this is not your business.
- ♪ Pressure ♪
- Sweet baby Jesus.
- I am scared to
be on this stage.
- I'm a little nervous.
- OK.
I'm about to pee my pants.
- ♪ Under pressure ♪
- My name's Brayden Phillips.
I'm 20 years old, and I'm...
- ♪ Under pressure ♪
[music slowing]
- I chose...
♪ ♪
I chose, um, confidence.
I chose confidence.
- Yes, you did.
- I'm having trouble. Yeah.
♪ Don't show your face
round here anymore, honey ♪
♪ This is something you
better get through your head ♪
♪ 'Cause I'm giving you up ♪
♪ The same way you did me
out in the moonlight ♪
[cheers and applause]
Thank y'all.
Thank y'all.
- For 21 seasons, every Idol
has had to overcome pressure
and build confidence,
including last season's
winner, Noah Thompson.
[light music]
- ♪ And it's all so tough ♪
♪ You turned me into a man
I don't even recognize ♪
♪ I'm giving you up ♪
♪ The same way you did me
out in the moonlight ♪
- I understand.
Look, I know how every
one of you guys feel.
I know it's scary, but
you guys can't compare
yourself to everybody else.
The best thing they
can possibly do
is just be their absolute
selves and not try to fake it.
And I think that's how
you kind of stand out.
- Standing out was easy for
our next singer, Mariah Faith,
because she received
a unique opportunity
after her Nashville audition.
- We got you a...
- Opening slot.
HunterGirl and Noah Thompson,
tomorrow night in Nashville.
[rock music]
- [singing indistinctly]
♪ ♪
Literally I don't
think any experience
would be able to top
that, especially 'cause I
love both of them so much.
♪ ♪
Top ten experiences
in my whole...
Well, like, number one, really,
in my whole life.
- Yeah, they were so
happy you were there.
- I know.
I appreciate it.
It gave me a confidence
booster, for sure.
- What did you pick specifically
that you're working on?
- I picked stage presence.
- Stage presence?
- Yes.
- OK.
- Because after
watching y'all, seeing
HunterGirl on the stage...
- Yeah, and I was...
- Dude, she rocks that thing.
- She does.
- So I got to step my game up.
♪ It's all on me,
it's my mistake ♪
♪ I said I loved you
a little too late ♪
♪ But I guess there
ain't ever a right time ♪
♪ And I don't know why
it's called a goodbye ♪
♪ Hope you find ♪
♪ What you was looking for ♪
♪ I guess my heart ♪
♪ Ain't worth it anymore ♪
♪ I'm a wreck ♪
♪ I'm a mess ♪
♪ I ain't got nothing left ♪
♪ And I hope ♪
♪ You're happy now ♪
[cheers and applause]
[upbeat music]
Thank you so much.
Thank you.
♪ ♪
- That was presence.
- "Stahl."
- Style.
- "Stahl."
- "Stahl."
That's "stahl."
- Our next singer's style
caught the judges' attention,
but it was his voice and
heart that won them over.
- Tell us who you are.
- Trey Louis,
aka Trey from the Fe.
I'm a full-time
mattress salesman.
- Awesome. Well...
- Slinging spring, baby.
- Why are you doing "Idol"?
- Um, in May 2018, a g*nman
walked into my school.
- ♪ There's a darkness upon me
that's flooded in light ♪
- It's important for
me to share my story,
how much there is light, you
know, there is positivity,
and you just have
to go chase it.
- ♪ What's wrong
and what's right ♪
all: You're going to Hollywood.
- Let's go!
Let's go!
I got it.
I got it.
♪ I know it ain't ♪
Whenever customers
aren't in the store,
I do tend to belt
out some music.
♪ I recognize that
look in your eyes ♪
I was encouraged by my
girlfriend to post a video
of my singing on social media.
♪ Oh, oh ♪
And it just...
[mimics expl*si*n]
I think 2.7 million
views is what
it's sitting at right now.
I didn't want to sell mattresses
for the rest of my life.
That's not for me.
That's not the dream
that I want to chase.
The dream I want to
chase is here, doing
stuff with "American Idol."
- What's up, man?
Have you ever sang on a
stage this big before?
- No.
- So your big thing is gonna be
connecting with the audience.
- I picked stage
presence because I
want to learn how to do that
at the "American Idol" level.
- What's that hand doing?
How can you tell the
story with that hand?
- I can, like, point it
like a sales guy.
- Bam. Simple.
- Chasing a dream, for sure.
Trey from the Fe, here in LA.
[cheers and applause]
I picked stage presence
because this is my first time
on a stage like this.
The more look at this theater,
the more I look at the judges,
the realer it feels.
I have to tell myself every
ten seconds, like, oh, yeah.
You're on "American Idol"
right now.
I get emotional 'cause
where I come from,
we're just nobodies
chasing a dream,
trying to become somebody.
It's intimidating, in a way,
where I'm surrounded
by very talented people.
It's ridiculous.
But you miss 100% of the
shots you don't take.
[dramatic music]
- This week, I picked
stage presence
because this is my first
time on a stage like this.
- Wow.
- Today I'm gonna be singing
"Vienna" by Billy Joel.
[cheers and applause]
[soft music]
♪ Slow down, you crazy child ♪
♪ You're so ambitious
for a juvenile ♪
♪ But, then, if you're so
smart, then tell me ♪
♪ Why are you still so afraid ♪
♪ ♪
♪ But you know that
when the truth is told ♪
♪ That you can get what you
want or you can just get old ♪
♪ You're gonna
kick off before ♪
♪ You even get
halfway through ♪
♪ Ooh ♪
♪ When will you realize ♪
♪ Vienna waits for you ♪
♪ ♪
♪ You got your passion,
you got your pride ♪
♪ But don't you know that
only fools are satisfied ♪
♪ Dream on, but don't imagine
they'll all come true ♪
♪ Ooh ♪
♪ When will you realize ♪
♪ Vienna waits for you ♪
♪ When will you realize ♪
♪ Vienna waits for you ♪
[cheers and applause]
- ♪ It's gonna shine on me ♪
- Yeah! Whoo!
I don't feel like a
mattress salesman right now.
I feel like Trey Louis,
the superstar.
And I want to continue
feeling that way.
- He's comfortable.
He's a comfortable
person to watch.
- Oh, I don't know about comf...
I mean, he's...
- I mean, no,
I'm saying to watch him.
- He's comfortable
talking to you.
- Talking, right.
- ♪ Halfway up the mountain ♪
♪ Is always higher
than it seems ♪
- Mariah, Trey...
- ♪ Feels impossible just
chasing down this dream ♪
- Um, keep your chins up.
- ♪ But if it happened ♪
- You have a lot to look
forward to
in your musical journey...
♪ ♪
As you head to the next round.
- ♪ It's gonna shine on me ♪
- Brayden, this is the end
of the "American Idol" journey
for you.
- ♪ It's gonna shine on me ♪
- Yeah!
Let's go.
Heck yeah, baby.
[exhales sharply]
- [growls] I'm so
freaking proud of myself.
And I'm going to duets.
- ♪ It's gonna shine on me ♪
- With Mariah and
Trey moving on,
our next singer, Emma Busse,
is working on her confidence
as she embraces a brand-new
singing style.
- In the performance
challenge, I
chose the category confidence.
♪ Oh, oh ♪
Katy Perry, who gave me
a little Broadway exorcism.
- I think I could save this one.
- Yep.
- [grunts] Get it out of you.
Get all that
Broadway out of you.
- I've worked quite hard,
and I hope
that she can see the change.
♪ I heard you come in ♪
♪ At a quarter to 3:00, yeah ♪
♪ You closed the door and
laid down next to me, yeah ♪
♪ But then I heard you
say her name ♪
♪ In your sleep ♪
♪ Your dirty secret's
too far gone ♪
♪ To keep ♪
♪ I, I ♪
♪ I, I ♪
♪ Ooh ♪
♪ I'm 'bout to
lose my ♪
♪ My mind ♪
♪ My mind, my mind ♪
♪ I think about
you all the time
♪ Whoa, whoa ♪
♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪
♪ How could you ♪
♪ How could you do this to me ♪
[holding note]
♪ ♪
[cheers and applause]
- She's got a neat deal.
- Oh, man.
- ♪ Ready to fly ♪
- Emma, you were spectacular.
- ♪ Ready to fly ♪
- You are going forward.
- ♪ I'm ready to fly ♪
- Aah!
- Well, I mean, like, right now,
I've seen ten top tenners...
- That's exactly
what I'm saying.
- Oh, 100%.
- That are all unique.
- 100%.
- ♪ This is my time ♪
- Welcome back to the
performance challenge.
While some singers are showing
improvement in their category,
others are feeling the
pressure to deliver.
- ♪ I can't look at the stars ♪
♪ They make me wonder
where you are ♪
I don't think my vocals were
how I expected them to be.
I really want to
make it through.
- ♪ Ooh, hoo ♪
♪ Oh ♪
♪ Oh, no, no, yeah ♪
- Part of the word
"confidence" is "con."
So you might have to con
yourself into confidence.
- [laughs]
- That's the truth.
- Hollywood Week,
I think, is gonna be, like,
the toughest week for me.
In my audition,
I was super nervous.
I feel like, vocally, I
could have done a lot better.
♪ When I think I am weak ♪
♪ And you say I am here ♪
Oh, Lauren.
I definitely did not expect
to meet Lauren Daigle
while I was
singing Lauren Daigle's song.
- Your story reminds me
of my own, like, so much,
with your grandfather.
[somber music]
- My grandpa passed a year ago.
Lauren came to me,
and it just felt like it was
heaven-sent
from, like, my paw-paw,
in a way.
'Cause he knew I was
needing him, and...
Hoo, I didn't want to cry.
[laughs]
For the performance
challenge, I've
decided to work on confidence.
I'm just trying to make myself
believe that I am good enough.
That's why I'm here.
[reverent music]
♪ I went up to the mountain ♪
♪ Because you asked me to ♪
♪ Up over the clouds ♪
- Whoa, Nelly.
- ♪ To where the sky was blue ♪
♪ I could see all around me,
yeah ♪
♪ Everywhere ♪
♪ But then I go
on and on again ♪
♪ Because you
asked me to, yeah ♪
♪ Some days, I look down ♪
♪ Afraid, afraid ♪
♪ I'm gonna fall, yeah ♪
♪ And though the sun shines ♪
♪ I see nothing at all ♪
♪ But then I hear
your, your sweet voice ♪
♪ It's coming and going, yeah ♪
♪ He's telling me softly ♪
♪ He loves ♪
[cheers and applause]
♪ He's... ♪
Whew.
♪ ♪
♪ That he loves me ♪
Hoo.
♪ So ♪
- There you go.
- Thank you.
[cheers and applause]
- Sang that song.
- We might need to find us a...
- Now, who was that?
- A fifth platinum ticket.
[laughs]
- Who was that?
- I know, right?
- I just felt my paw-paw
through everything.
And, um, I felt
God speaking to me.
And, um, I just
tried to do my best.
- I'm so proud of all y'all.
You guys all fought to get here.
But it's a competition,
so let's get to it.
- ♪ Better days are coming ♪
- Megan...
your career is waiting for you.
[cheers and applause]
- ♪ And we'll sing
your song together ♪
- Yeah!
I'm so happy.
[laughs]
- Back row, I'm sorry,
but the time has come
for you to say goodbye.
- ♪ I know you've been
hurting ♪
- Ashley, this isn't
the last stop, OK?
God bless you on your journey.
- A couple years ago,
I would have never
been able to do that.
But I'm proud of myself for it,
even if I didn't make it.
- As the night goes on,
we've had to say goodbye
to some notable standouts
from the auditions...
- ♪ We'll sing your
song together ♪
- Including Ophrah Kablan.
- Ophrah, this is the
end of your journey.
- I thought I had
it, but I guess not.
When one door closes,
another one opens.
- ♪ Together ♪
- Danny Epp...
- Thank you very much.
It was wonderful having you.
- Owen Eckhardt...
- I'm extremely grateful
for the opportunity
and just couldn't be more
excited for the future.
- And Keelin.
- I'm sorry, it's the end
of the "American Idol"
journey for you.
Thank you.
- This isn't gonna stop me.
I mean, I'm still gonna take
over the world.
Whoo!
- Welcome back.
As the performance
challenge comes to an end,
our final singers
anxiously await their shot
to make it to the next round.
- Hello.
I am Dawson Wayne.
I am 21, and I'm from
San Antonio, Texas.
And...
- Whoo!
- I will be playing one of
my songs, called "Sour Skies."
And I'm gonna start now.
- [chuckles]
[soft music]
♪ ♪
- ♪ The color green looks much
brighter when it's dark ♪
♪ ♪
♪ Then you came,
bright as the sun ♪
♪ Took the rain away ♪
♪ And what was
happy now is gone ♪
♪ ♪
♪ Sunset never felt
as cold as this ♪
♪ And rain clouds
never wanted to exist ♪
♪ You came, and you left
me with sour skies ♪
♪ ♪
♪ You didn't stay ♪
♪ And all you gave me
was sour skies ♪
♪ ♪
- Great, man. Very good.
[cheers and applause]
[tense music]
Very good.
- [mouthing words]
- Wow.
- He's an artist.
- He's an artist.
- He's great.
- He's a real-life artist.
- Our next singer is getting
her second shot at Hollywood
and chose to work on confidence
in hopes to go even further.
- Hey, everybody.
My name is Kya Monee',
and the song that I'll
be singing for you guys
is "And I Am Telling You"
by Jennifer Hudson.
- Oh, my God.
OK.
[applause]
- ♪ And I am telling you ♪
♪ I'm not going ♪
- Forget about it.
♪ You're the best
man I'll ever know ♪
♪ There's no way
I can ever go ♪
♪ No, no, there's no way ♪
♪ No, no, no, no way
I'm living without you ♪
- [chuckles] What?
- ♪ I'm not living
without you, baby ♪
♪ I don't wanna be free ♪
♪ I'm staying ♪
♪ I'm staying ♪
♪ And you, and you ♪
♪ You're gonna love me ♪
♪ Yes, you are ♪
♪ ♪
♪ Tear down the mountains ♪
♪ Yell, scream, and shout ♪
♪ You can say what you want ♪
♪ I'm not walking out ♪
♪ Stop all the rivers ♪
♪ Push, strike, and k*ll ♪
♪ I'm not gonna leave you ♪
♪ There's no way I will ♪
♪ And I am ♪
♪ Telling you ♪
♪ You're gonna love me ♪
- Get them!
- ♪ Love me ♪
♪ Love me ♪
♪ You're gonna ♪
♪ Love ♪
♪ Me ♪
[cheers and applause]
Thank you, thank you.
I felt completely free up there.
I felt like I didn't
have any problems.
I felt like I put all
of my emotions on the stage.
- It's crazy, hearing
everyone else singing
'cause, well, everyone
is really, really good.
- We got one more, guys.
- The last one of the
performance challenge rounds.
- How are we trying to make
sure that you can be the best
you and confident
up there today?
- I got to make sure
to open my eyes this time.
'Cause every time,
I'm used to closing
my eyes when I sing, so...
- What do you see when
you close your eyes?
- My dad.
- ♪ Before they turn off
all the lights ♪
- The main reason why I sing...
- ♪ I won't read you your
wrongs or your rights ♪
- Is 'cause of my dad.
- ♪ The time has gone ♪
- He introduced me to music.
- ♪ I'll tell you good night,
close the door ♪
- And he bought me this guitar
that I'm gonna play today.
- ♪ Tell you I love
you once more ♪
- It means everything to me.
- ♪ The time has gone ♪
- Uh, my dad, uh, passed away,
like, a couple of months ago.
- Mm.
Sorry, buddy.
Just seeing you missing
your dad just sucks.
- Yeah.
- ♪ No need to forgive ♪
♪ No need to forget ♪
- My dad is always with
me just because I sing.
And I hear his harmony
in it, and it's cool.
If my dad was here, he would
have been proud.
Hopefully,
he would have been proud.
- ♪ To chase the monsters
away ♪
- When you auditioned the
first time, beautiful song.
Beautiful voice.
- ♪ I can't make you
love me if you don't ♪
- You've got such
a powerful voice.
But, you know, if you need to
look at somebody's forehead...
Just let them know that
you know they're there.
- When you're
singing a song that, like,
has so much feeling and passion,
it's hard to open your
eyes while singing.
So it's gonna be a challenge.
This is my chance to
be something more.
When I get up on the
stage in Hollywood,
I'm gonna be thinking
about my family and my dad,
just to make him proud.
My name is Iam Tongi.
I'm 18 years old,
and I'm gonna be singing
"I Can't Make You Love Me"
by Bonnie Raitt.
- Wow.
[soft music]
♪ ♪
- ♪ Turn down the lights ♪
- [laughs]
♪ Turn down the bed ♪
♪ Turn down these voices ♪
♪ Inside my head ♪
♪ Lay down with me ♪
♪ And tell me no lies ♪
♪ Just hold me close ♪
♪ Don't patronize ♪
♪ Don't patronize ♪
♪ 'Cause I can't make you
love me if you don't ♪
- God.
Perfect.
- ♪ You can't make
your heart feel ♪
♪ Something it won't ♪
♪ Here in the dark ♪
♪ In these final hours ♪
♪ I will lay down my heart ♪
♪ And I'll feel the power ♪
♪ But you won't ♪
♪ No, you won't ♪
♪ 'Cause I can't make you
love me if you don't ♪
[cheers and applause]
[soft music]
♪ ♪
- Magic.
- This is the real deal.
This is the real deal, y'all.
- It's a big deal.
- I was closing my
eyes, and then I would
catch myself closing my eyes.
Then I opened my eyes to look.
And then I, you know, closed
my eyes to feel it again.
Just crazy.
Dang.
- He's a top ten.
- Oh, absolutely.
- Uh-huh.
- No doubt.
- Wow.
What a show.
- What are we gonna do, y'all?
♪ ♪
[cheers and applause]
- A lot of people's
lives are gonna be changed
just because you guys
are fighting for this dream.
- ♪ You got it in you ♪
♪ ♪
- Kya.
Iam.
Dawson.
- What we're really trying
to find here are people who,
in four or five
notes of your songs,
we know...[fingers snap]
Who they are.
♪ ♪
Congratulations to all of you.
You're going through.
- ♪ When the lights
go out and leave you ♪
♪ Standing in the dark ♪
♪ I know you think your fire ♪
- Just to get that validation
on a song that I wrote
is pretty cool.
- Whoo! I made it!
I'm so excited that
this last round is over.
And I'm so ready
to show what all I
have to offer and
make it further than
what I did the first time.
- Yes, sir!
Come on, now.
[chuckles]
- ♪ You got it in you ♪
[The Who's
"Won't Get Fooled Again"]
- Well, congratulations,
you guys,
on actually surviving
the performance challenge.
Now, don't get quite relaxed
just yet because the fun
has just begun.
- We're about to enter
into the duet portion
of Hollywood Week.
- I want you guys to
look around the room
because it's your
decision to pick
your duet partner this time.
- ♪ A change, it had to come ♪
- Go pick your partners.
It's "The Hunger Games"
but "American Idol."
♪ ♪
- Who do I choose?
- I have no idea who to pick.
So who wants to be on my team?
- There's people everywhere.
- A lot of pressure.
- Do y'all have partners?
- I haven't heard you sing.
You haven't heard me sing.
- I know.
- Hard choice, I want to make
sure it's the right choice.
- ♪ We don't get fooled
again ♪
♪ No, no ♪
both: ♪ Oh ♪
- Oh!
Aah!
- Yeah!
- That was more confidence
than I've ever seen in my life.
- ♪ Ah ♪
- Hold on. Stop!
- Some people wanted to
sleep instead of working.
- I swear, I wanted
this to work out.
- [laughs]
- Incredible.
- It's the end of the
line for you right now.
- [sniffling]
- It's tough.
- I... I have to leave.
I'm sorry.
I'm... I'm really sorry.
- Welcome back.
As the performance
challenge comes to an end,
our final singers
anxiously await their shot
to make it to the next round.
- Hello.
I am Dawson Wayne.
I am 21, and I'm from
San Antonio, Texas.
And...
- Whoo!
- I will be playing one of
my songs, called "Sour Skies."
And I'm gonna start now.
- [chuckles]
[soft music]
♪ ♪
- ♪ The color green looks much
brighter when it's dark ♪
♪ ♪
♪ Then you came,
bright as the sun ♪
♪ Took the rain away ♪
♪ And what was
happy now is gone ♪
♪ ♪
♪ Sunset never felt
as cold as this ♪
♪ And rain clouds
never wanted to exist ♪
♪ You came, and you left
me with sour skies ♪
♪ ♪
♪ You didn't stay ♪
♪ And all you gave me
was sour skies ♪
♪ ♪
- Great, man. Very good.
[cheers and applause]
[tense music]
Very good.
- [mouthing words]
- Wow.
- He's an artist.
- He's an artist.
- He's great.
- He's a real-life artist.
- Our next singer is getting
her second shot at Hollywood
and chose to work on confidence
in hopes to go even further.
- Hey, everybody.
My name is Kya Monee',
and the song that I'll
be singing for you guys
is "And I Am Telling You"
by Jennifer Hudson.
- Oh, my God.
OK.
[applause]
- ♪ And I am telling you ♪
♪ I'm not going ♪
- Forget about it.
♪ You're the best
man I'll ever know ♪
♪ There's no way
I can ever go ♪
♪ No, no, there's no way ♪
♪ No, no, no, no way
I'm living without you ♪
- [chuckles] What?
- ♪ I'm not living
without you, baby ♪
♪ I don't wanna be free ♪
♪ I'm staying ♪
♪ I'm staying ♪
♪ And you, and you ♪
♪ You're gonna love me ♪
♪ Yes, you are ♪
♪ ♪
♪ Tear down the mountains ♪
♪ Yell, scream, and shout ♪
♪ You can say what you want ♪
♪ I'm not walking out ♪
♪ Stop all the rivers ♪
♪ Push, strike, and k*ll ♪
♪ I'm not gonna leave you ♪
♪ There's no way I will ♪
♪ And I am ♪
♪ Telling you ♪
♪ You're gonna love me ♪
- Get them!
- ♪ Love me ♪
♪ Love me ♪
♪ You're gonna ♪
♪ Love ♪
♪ Me ♪
[cheers and applause]
Thank you, thank you.
I felt completely free up there.
I felt like I didn't
have any problems.
I felt like I put all
of my emotions on the stage.
- It's crazy, hearing
everyone else singing
'cause, well, everyone
is really, really good.
- We got one more, guys.
- The last one of the
performance challenge rounds.
- How are we trying to make
sure that you can be the best
you and confident
up there today?
- I got to make sure
to open my eyes this time.
'Cause every time,
I'm used to closing
my eyes when I sing, so...
- What do you see when
you close your eyes?
- My dad.
- ♪ Before they turn off
all the lights ♪
- The main reason why I sing...
- ♪ I won't read you your
wrongs or your rights ♪
- Is 'cause of my dad.
- ♪ The time has gone ♪
- He introduced me to music.
- ♪ I'll tell you good night,
close the door ♪
- And he bought me this guitar
that I'm gonna play today.
- ♪ Tell you I love
you once more ♪
- It means everything to me.
- ♪ The time has gone ♪
- Uh, my dad, uh, passed away,
like, a couple of months ago.
- Mm.
Sorry, buddy.
Just seeing you missing
your dad just sucks.
- Yeah.
- ♪ No need to forgive ♪
♪ No need to forget ♪
- My dad is always with
me just because I sing.
And I hear his harmony
in it, and it's cool.
If my dad was here, he would
have been proud.
Hopefully,
he would have been proud.
- ♪ To chase the monsters
away ♪
- When you auditioned the
first time, beautiful song.
Beautiful voice.
- ♪ I can't make you
love me if you don't ♪
- You've got such
a powerful voice.
But, you know, if you need to
look at somebody's forehead...
Just let them know that
you know they're there.
- When you're
singing a song that, like,
has so much feeling and passion,
it's hard to open your
eyes while singing.
So it's gonna be a challenge.
This is my chance to
be something more.
When I get up on the
stage in Hollywood,
I'm gonna be thinking
about my family and my dad,
just to make him proud.
My name is Iam Tongi.
I'm 18 years old,
and I'm gonna be singing
"I Can't Make You Love Me"
by Bonnie Raitt.
- Wow.
[soft music]
♪ ♪
- ♪ Turn down the lights ♪
- [laughs]
♪ Turn down the bed ♪
♪ Turn down these voices ♪
♪ Inside my head ♪
♪ Lay down with me ♪
♪ And tell me no lies ♪
♪ Just hold me close ♪
♪ Don't patronize ♪
♪ Don't patronize ♪
♪ 'Cause I can't make you
love me if you don't ♪
- God.
Perfect.
- ♪ You can't make
your heart feel ♪
♪ Something it won't ♪
♪ Here in the dark ♪
♪ In these final hours ♪
♪ I will lay down my heart ♪
♪ And I'll feel the power ♪
♪ But you won't ♪
♪ No, you won't ♪
♪ 'Cause I can't make you
love me if you don't ♪
[cheers and applause]
[soft music]
♪ ♪
- Magic.
- This is the real deal.
This is the real deal, y'all.
- It's a big deal.
- I was closing my
eyes, and then I would
catch myself closing my eyes.
Then I opened my eyes to look.
And then I, you know, closed
my eyes to feel it again.
Just crazy.
Dang.
- He's a top ten.
- Oh, absolutely.
- Uh-huh.
- No doubt.
- Wow.
What a show.
- What are we gonna do, y'all?
♪ ♪
[cheers and applause]
- A lot of people's
lives are gonna be changed
just because you guys
are fighting for this dream.
- ♪ You got it in you ♪
♪ ♪
- Kya.
Iam.
Dawson.
- What we're really trying
to find here are people who,
in four or five
notes of your songs,
we know...[fingers snap]
Who they are.
♪ ♪
Congratulations to all of you.
You're going through.
- ♪ When the lights
go out and leave you ♪
♪ Standing in the dark ♪
♪ I know you think your fire ♪
- Just to get that validation
on a song that I wrote
is pretty cool.
- Whoo! I made it!
I'm so excited that
this last round is over.
And I'm so ready
to show what all I
have to offer and
make it further than
what I did the first time.
- Yes, sir!
Come on, now.
[chuckles]
- ♪ You got it in you ♪
[The Who's
"Won't Get Fooled Again"]
- Well, congratulations,
you guys,
on actually surviving
the performance challenge.
Now, don't get quite relaxed
just yet because the fun
has just begun.
- We're about to enter
into the duet portion
of Hollywood Week.
- I want you guys to
look around the room
because it's your
decision to pick
your duet partner this time.
- ♪ A change, it had to come ♪
- Go pick your partners.
It's "The Hunger Games"
but "American Idol."
♪ ♪
- Who do I choose?
- I have no idea who to pick.
So who wants to be on my team?
- There's people everywhere.
- A lot of pressure.
- Do y'all have partners?
- I haven't heard you sing.
You haven't heard me sing.
- I know.
- Hard choice, I want to make
sure it's the right choice.
- ♪ We don't get fooled
again ♪
♪ No, no ♪
both: ♪ Oh ♪
- Oh!
Aah!
- Yeah!
- That was more confidence
than I've ever seen in my life.
- ♪ Ah ♪
- Hold on. Stop!
- Some people wanted to
sleep instead of working.
- I swear, I wanted
this to work out.
- [laughs]
- Incredible.
- It's the end of the
line for you right now.
- [sniffling]
- It's tough.
- I... I have to leave.
I'm sorry.
I'm... I'm really sorry.
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21x07 - 606 (Hollywood Week Part #1)
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It started as an addition to the Idol format that was based on Pop Idol from British television, in which the programme's first series, which was won by Will Young, ended over four months before the show began, as it later became one of the most successful shows in the history of American television.
It started as an addition to the Idol format that was based on Pop Idol from British television, in which the programme's first series, which was won by Will Young, ended over four months before the show began, as it later became one of the most successful shows in the history of American television.