American Idol Season 7: Atlanta Auditions Brought out the Best
Only one more day of auditions to see who the might be the next American Idol hopeful’s and Atlanta certainly didn’t disappoint. It kind of had a lot to live up to since they found Clay Aiken, Fantasia, and Jennifer Hudson there. The southern city was by far the best auditions yet with solid voices, unique personalities and a few contestants who were simply the real deal. Could Season 7 possibly be the most exciting season yet even though media claims that Idol is on its downward spiral? Maybe it can be thanks to the largest city in the south.
A whopping 12,000 showed up to try out for a chance to become the next American Idol. Appropriately “The Devil Went Down To Georgia” played in the background as excited people of all ages flooded the stadium. Ryan’s parents even showed up to pay a visit and I must say that his mother was absolutely darling.
First up to audition was Josh Jones. To me he already looked like a winner. He was glass cutter by day and had really great hair. But does he have the personality to pull it off? As Josh let loose into a very difficult Queen song Simon had to stop him because he did weird stuff with his eyes and finally made him sing turned around so he didn’t have to look at him. He needed to concentrate on his voice. That poor guy. How humiliating! They better send him through after that torture. Simon thought it was karaoke and didn’t have confidence that Josh could fix the weird wiggy eyes problem but Randy and Paula sent him through on his voice alone. I’m glad they did because he had a really good voice and picked a dang hard song. Plus Simon totally humiliated him so he deserved that golden ticket. Besides, Josh can sing in the mirror and work on the weird wiggy eye thing. It will be okay Simon. At least he didn’t like every other run of the mill pop star. He was unique and you can’t groom that into someone!
Next up was Pinky…well, he had on a pink shirt that had much to be desired but his real name was J.P. Tjelmeland. He had auditioned for the judges in Season 4 and Carrie Underwood was sitting only two seats after him. Boy had he wish he had connected with her. He admitted that people told him all the time that he had star quality and would be famous someday. What? No way!! He sang “Me and My Gang” by Rascal Flatts and it was just bad. I couldn’t understand one word he sang. Oh wait; I understood the word “California”. He plead with the judges and said he didn’t want to do four years of school that he wanted to go to Hollywood. Unfortunately for Pinky, or rather J.P., he was a vocal major which Randy was “NO WAY” to and so was I and the rest of America and now I’m sure his university was too. It was a no to Hollywood. Unfortunataely for J.P., Simon’s pen had more charisma then he did.
Paula just can’t say no! Of course the editing was great as they showed clip after clip of Paula unable to say no. Simon of course was trying to forcer her to say “yes” or “no” or “y” or “n”. Oh Paula! I love you!!!
With that audition out of the way the beautiful 18 year old A’siah Epperson was next up to sing. She had lost her dad two days ago in a car accident. What a determined young lady. Simon thought she had a lovely smile and Paula liked how she was dressed. She picked a song to sing to her dad. She chose “How Do I live” by LeAnn Rimes. I don’t know how she wasn’t bawling??? I mean, Paula and I certainly were!! I loved her voice!! It was very unique and she had great stage presence. So with Paula crying Simon declared his serious like for her. He knew it was tough for her to do the audition and Paula commended her and that she wouldn’t have been able to do what Asia did. Randy thought she was excellent and worked it out during some very difficult circumstances. Simon said her dad would be very proud of her. She certainly was a sweetheart. She then went and bawled in her families arms with her golden ticket and Paula had to turn around and cry and then leave the room. I would have left and cried too Paula.
Then there was ditzy Brooke Helvie. Oh boy. She was a beauty queen…currently Miss South Florida Fair. Oh. My. Gosh. She is so not for real…is she?? Could she be the Kellie Pickler of Season 7? She was dorky and annoying in a most real way. I actually liked her and wasn’t expecting a lot out of her vocally. She wanted to prove to Simon that pageant girls could sing. So, Brooke opened up her mouth and she had a great voice, stage presence and didn’t seem the least bit annoying as she performed. Well maybe she would prove Simon wrong. She made it through and the pageant music played as she screamed, hugged, cried, rejoiced hugged the judges and proclaimed her love for all of them. I loved her! Simon thought she was maybe the most annoying person he has ever seen in his life. He didn’t want her to sing well. But, she did and she got a yes from all of them sending her tiara flattened hair to Hollywood!
After Brooke things weren’t quite as “glamorous”. Set to Fergie’s hit song “Glamorous” all the really bad singers paid tribute to “The Duchess”. Nice editing Idol! They were all bad and I especially liked the Asian “gramorous” girl at the end. She was the icing on the cake.
On a side note…what is Ryan wearing?? A polo shirt? So not hip like he usually is. I liked his t-shirt and jacket from day one in Atlanta!! Come on Ryan! This was your hometown!!
Then every once in awhile you get the sassy and rambunctious girls like Eva Miller who sincerely thought she was the whole package. The judges liked her personality and such but then she pranced around to a Vanessa Carlton’s song like my five year old niece. I almost wanted to tell her to go play with her Polly Pockets. In fact she danced and spun around so much her contestant number fell to the ground and she slipped on it landing squarely on her backside. She got up and kept going though and by that point Simon thought it was a joke. Then she was like this is not a joke. She loved Simon. Why would her routine be a joke? She had a crush on Simon. She accidentally fell. She was dead serious. She swore on it and Simon really thought it was a joke. But she was more than serious and then I think Simon might have felt a teensy bad. The poor girl. Well, she left the audition, tore up her “number” and stomped on it like a four year old. Eva needed to put on her big girl pants after that.
Alexandrea Lushinton was only 16 years old and brought her entire family and probably the neighbors from down the street. She did not look 16 years old! I liked her style and I really, really like her voice. Randy thought she was excellent; Paula and Simon really liked her too! She was definitely through to Hollywood. Alexandrea will make it far I think. She could make it to the live show for sure!
Then I wondered about all those contestants saying at the age of 16 or 17 they didn’t know what they were going to do now that they didn’t make it through to Hollywood. Delusions of grandeur I say, delusions!!! I’ll tell you what you are going to do! You’re going back to high school and live a normal life like the rest of us!
Thankfully we were introduced to the 9th grade repeater Nathan Hite. He’s 16 now…are you sure you weren’t a threepeater?? Well, I liked him at first because he was a total sassy pants. Probably part of the reason he can’t make it past the 9th grade. He was not so bad vocally; I thought he’d be much worse. He sounded like every other garage band kid out there. Too bad he’ll be 20 when he graduates from high school… He of course was sassy to Simon who then wanted to know if he wanted to listen or be a smart “bleep”. Simon called him on his smarty pants and told him he wasn’t funny and he was a bedroom singer. Well, no golden ticket for Nathan. He should be hoping for a high school diploma really. That really is something that is within his reach.
Like a breath of fresh air was Amanda Overmyer, the nurse who was also a rocker. She was groovy, laid back and I totally loved her. After her workday with patients she jumps on her motorcycle and heads out. She was so, so likeable. She knew she was at a crossroads in her life and was at peace with that. Either she would make it to Hollywood or keep with her nursing job. She was cool with either one. She knew she would stand out but would they dig it or not was the real question. She chose to sing Janis Joplin of course. Simon wanted to hear less of the put on gravelly voice so she cleaned it up and it was much better. They loved her. What a voice! She was authentic and real. I think the first REAL female rocker on the show. Randy said a trillion percent yes. He loved it and believed it and so did I. She was the real deal. Paula thought she was the female Chris Daughtry. Miss Amanda shall make it far me thinks.
Dang, Atlanta had some serious talent!!!! What else could they have up their sleeve??
Finally there was Josiah Leming. He quit school at 17 years old and hit the road with his car and guitar. He’s been on his own for about a year now and his home is his car and wherever the wind blows is where he goes. He doesn’t think of himself as homeless. Getting teary he admited that it was scary and lonely sometimes but it would be worth it to him someday to follow his dreams. He really had come from nothing. He sang an original song and had a great contemporary voice. Probably the most contemporary voice out of the bunch today. He totally sounded like what you hear on the radio right now. Simon thought he sounded British when he sang and it messed him and Randy up because he hailed from Tennessee. Paula adored him. Randy liked him but thought he might like him more in a band than as a lone singer. Simon had him sing Snow Patrol’s “Chasing Cars”. It was really quite surreal how much he sounded like he was from Britain. Well, British accent or not he got a golden ticket blessed by all three of them and me!! Running out the door he was all alone with no one to congratulate him but Ryan. I have a feeling that will be the last time no one is around for Josiah Leming. We will surely be seeing a lot more of him.
Well, Atlanta was ripe with talent and for sure some Top 12 contenders. There was 18 year old A’siah who lost her dad just two days before her audition, Alexandrea with the soulful voice, Amanda the Rock-and-Roll nurse, and finally Josiah Leming with his British accent. Hey, even the ditzy Brooke could contend for a top spot and if Josh can control his wiggy eyes Atlanta may have produced a serious amount of competition for the Season 7 American Idol crown.
© Copyright 2007 Blindigo Magazine | Article written by Niki Tschirgi
