American Idol 2024 Audition: Liliana Tovar Dalton her ‘Taylor Swift Era’ Original Song
Seventeen-year-old Liliana Tovar Dalton confessed to the American Idol judges, Lionel RIchie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan, in a new preview clip from Sunday’s final audition episode, that there isn’t much to do in her hometown, San Antonio, Texas.
But she finds things to do. She obsesses over boys, and fills her time at home writing original songs about them. “I’m a teenage girl and I have a lot of feelings, about boys especially.” The young singer told host Ryan Seacrest before her audition. She shared on camera that “boys really do stir up those feelings. Especially teenage ones!”
In the audition room Lionel comforted Liliana. “Vicious little people!” he described teenage boys. Katy agreed. But Lilian is making the most of her roller coaster emotions. “I’m young. I might as well enjoy it,” she said in her confessional. “Write a bunch of songs about stupid teenage boys while I can.” Katy joked. “If you don’t do it, AI (artificial intelligence) will.”
Liliana described the original song, “5%,” which she’s singing for the judges, as “the amount of effort that that specific person gave me.” She declares that she’s living in her “Taylor Swift era,” specifically Swift’s “Reputation” era. “Do with that as you will,” Liliana laughed. Swift is known for writing brutal songs about relationships gone bad.
The ballad Lilina performed at the piano uses her phone–at 5% power–as a metaphor for her uncaring boyfriend. She waits with her phone, for a text, a call, ANYTHING. She tortures herself scrolling through social media, looking at girls who she considers more desirable than her. In the end, she sings. When she finally realizes he’s blowing her off, she sings, “I guess I love too easily.”
Katy called the song “raw,” “honest” and “vulnerable”
Katy described the song as “one long text message” and felt it lacked some “fundamental structure.” However, she still “loved it” calling the song “raw,” “honest” and “vulnerable.” She added, “You were taking your inner thoughts and displaying them to the world.” However, Katy wondered if Liliana has range.
“I want you to understand there is potential there,” said Lionel. “You can’t nonchalantly go out there and say La la la.” He aimed with his remarks to “toughen” Liliana up. He added, “You’ve got to get into the guts of you.” Swift has guts, he said, “She dives in it. You’re going to have competition that’s swinging at you.”
Katy joked that the boy she’s writing about will text her after he sees her on television, but she should ignore him. “You’re going to meet some cuties,” she promised. “It’s time to be BOLD,” Katy shouted. “You’re going to Hollywood.’ All three judges say YES. Poor Luke feels ignored. “When you leave…she’s back being mean to me,” Luke joked.
The final American Idol audition airs on ABC, Sunday March 24 at 8 pm ET/PT. Next, it’s the Hollywood and Showcase rounds. The Top 24 will perform for YOUR votes starting with the Top 24 at Disney Aulani in Hawaii. Monday episodes begin on April 1. See the schedule HERE.
