The American Idol audition bus tour kicked off in earnest on Saturday. In Orlando Florida, hopefuls lined up at the Arena at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Kissimmee. And on the west coast, the Idol bus landed in San Diego, California.
American Idol 2019 Audition Cities Revealed! Everything You Need to Know
“It’s such a nice venue. It’s much cooler than it was last year,” Patrick Lynn, the show’s senior supervising producer told the Orlando Sentinel about the ESPN complex. “Acoustics in this building are by far some of the best we’ve ever had,” he added, noting the floor had been covered with carpet. Last year, Orlando auditions took place at Disney Springs, where the singers swealtered in the hot sun as they waited in line.
Super bonus! The American Idol Live tour is on break this weekend, which allowed Maddie Poppe, Caleb Lee Hutchtinson and Catie Turner to drop by and cheer on the Orlando auditioners.
Idols in the (mouse) house!! Can you believe we met these three a *year* ago?! ?? #BestDayEver #TheNextIdol #AmericanIdol pic.twitter.com/z04RjleTBo
— American Idol (@AmericanIdol) August 25, 2018
Kicking off Season 2 where dreams come true ??#TheNextIdol #BestDayEver #AmericanIdol pic.twitter.com/ZBZuDa2wlJ
— American Idol (@AmericanIdol) August 25, 2018
HA HA
?? @MaddiePoppe @calebleemusic @WaltDisneyWorld ?? pic.twitter.com/6CAXcaiEZE
— RADIO DISNEY (@radiodisney) August 25, 2018
Catie auditioned last year at Disney Springs. She told the Sentinel that she fell on the grass and cried afterward. Being back, she said, “just gives me an appreciation for everybody who just gives it a shot and tries. It’s so nerve-racking, but it’s so rewarding.”
i fake auditioned for american idol in orlando today singing going going gone and yes i would say its one of my biggest achievements
— catie turner (@hashtagcatie) August 25, 2018
ABC/Disney didn’t say how many auditioned or advanced to the producers, but Lynn described turnout as “Pretty good.” “You’ve got so many people that are performers here,” Lynn said. “We always get good talent here.”
But by the looks of the crowd in this news video, Orlando turnout appears to have been pretty decent.
From First Coast News
In San Diego, hopefuls “waited for hours” to audition, News10 talked to singers in line.
Idol Producer Brett McCosker told the San Diego Union-Tribune that American Idol sets itself apart from other shows such as The Voice and America’s Got Talent by actively searching the country for artists without relying solely on talent agencies or casting agents.
“You can’t rely on talent finding you in Los Angeles or New York or any of that anymore,” he said. “We have to go find them.”
There are songs the producers will hear over and over again. “There’s always, like, six songs,” the McColsker said. “There’s ‘Hallelujah,’ there’s Alicia Keys’ ‘If I Ain’t Got You,’ there’s ‘Tennessee Whiskey.’ I love all those songs, but I just hear them all day every day.”
Traveling the country to find talent yeilds results, said McCosker. Last year’s American Idol winner, Maddie Poppe, came from a bus audition in Omaha, Neb.
Amerian Idol returns to ABC next winter.
