American Idol Season 13 Episode 3
American Idol
Season 13

Ep 3. Auditions #3 - Detroit

  • Not Rated
  • January 22, 2014
  •   (30)

Auditions #3 - Detroit sees the American Idol judges heading over to Michigan to try and find some talent in the city. With high hopes, they go through a series of auditions to find the best of the best and take them to Hollywood.

The episode starts with a montage of Detroit and highlights the rich musical history of the city. Contestants from all over Michigan gather together to take their shot at becoming the next American Idol. The judges; Keith Urban, Jennifer Lopez, and Harry Connick Jr., are ready to find the best voices that Detroit has to offer.

The first contestant up is 23-year-old Maurice Townsend who comes in singing “Wrecking Ball” by Miley Cyrus. He gives an amazing soulful rendition of the song, and the judges are blown away. Jennifer Lopez tells him, “You’ve got a rawness in your voice, and I loved it.” He earns a unanimous “yes” from the judges and is getting his golden ticket to Hollywood.

One of the most surprising auditions of the night came from Malaya Watson, a 15-year-old student from Southfield, Michigan. She wowed the judges with a powerful and soulful rendition of the classic Ray Charles tune, “Hard Times”. All three judges were impressed with her unique tone, and Harry Connick Jr. remarked that she had, “an insane voice”. She was voted through to Hollywood as well.

In addition to the usual parade of singers, Detroit also featured several guitar-driven rockers, including Karl Skinner, a mush-mouthed Louisiana native, who played some gritty country blues that impressed the judges, and Adam Roth, a busker from Ann Arbor who delivered a hard-hitting cover of Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues”. Both were voted through to Hollywood.

Samantha Furtwengler gave one of the most emotional performances of the night, singing an original song about her father. Her dad, who had been diagnosed with terminal cancer, was too weak to come to the audition. Despite that, Samantha gave an incredible performance that had Harry in tears, and earned her a ticket to Hollywood.

But not every contestant had a happy ending. With every audition comes disappointment, but the judges don't sugarcoat it. 22-year-old Ethan Harris from Garrattsville, NY belts out a decent version of "Georgia Peaches" by Lauren Alaina. While the judges compliment his look and his ability to entertain, they ultimately determine he isn't ready for the cut.

Another memorable contestant was 22-year-old Brandy Neelly, who was voted off in the final three in Season 12. She's back and ready to prove herself and wow the judges with her version of “Your Cheatin’ Heart” by Hank Williams. All three judges were impressed with her growth since last season, and she was given a unanimous “yes” to go to Hollywood.

The final audition of the night was from a contestant named Neco Starr, who delivered a stellar performance of “You Got It Bad” by Usher. His unique voice and amazing control are what stood out, and he left all three judges speechless. "That was so beautiful, it almost made me mad," Keith Urban tells him. Needless to say, Neco was given his golden ticket to Hollywood.

Auditions #3 - Detroit was a great showcase of the talented singers in the city, and a look into the struggles that some of them have faced in getting to where they are now. The judges have a tough job ahead of them, but they're ready to take on the challenge of choosing the best and brightest singers to advance to the next stage of the competition.

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Description
  • First Aired
    January 22, 2014
  • Content Rating
    Not Rated
  • Language
    English