The Best of the American Idol 14 Auditions

The long, hard slog through the American Idol 14 auditions is OVER! Hooray. Now it’s time to get to the good stuff. The Hollywood Round, which was filmed at the Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles in October, begins this week. Four one hour episodes will air on February 4, 5, 11 and 12.

But before we leave the auditions behind completely, here are my twelve favorite performances of the season so far. I am, as ever, hopeful for the new crop’s potential. There is a ton of raw, young talent represented in the following auditions. Please producers, give these kids every opportunity to shine on the Idol stage!

And Scott Borchetta! The head honcho at Big Machine Records who is now on board to mentor: Keep your promise to nurture these kids throughout the competition and beyond, please.

Without further ado. My 12 favorite auditions. What are yours?

Trevor Douglas – Trevor the busker and science geek is has an engaging presence and a compelling musicality. In Nashville, he navigated the difficult Ed Sheeran song “Sing” with ease. I love his confidence.

http://youtu.be/l2cSIxsoDpc

Jax – This young singer held my attention, at her New York City audition, when she performed a ballad version of the Beatles, “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” accompanying herself on a baby grand piano. Everything about this girl is one-of-a-kind, from her emotional delivery, to her lovely voice with just a hint of rasp. This girl has something special. Adam Lambert, who was judging that day, said, “That’s an artist.”

http://youtu.be/2Htt_6_IRJU

Savion Wright – Savion was cut before the Top 31 last season, and has come back with a ROAR. Actually, I think another year for Savion to greive his brother’s death and work on his craft was a good thing. In his Nashville audition, the singer looked and sounded amazing, impressing the judges with a jazzy soulful and assured cover of “Change the World” by Eric Clapton.

http://youtu.be/dE449NLyaKA

Maddie Walker – This singer was wedged into a montage, which has me asking why, because her version of Gwen Sebastian’s “Suitcase” left me wanting more of her incredible tone.

http://youtu.be/UT1b9hzwQVQ

Sarina Joi Crowe – This is Sarina’s 4th time at bat, and maybe FINALLY the show will give this talented singer a shot. Her Nashville audition of “Love Runs Out” by OneRepublic displayed wonderful musical instincts and incredible phrasing. I can’t wait to see what else she can do.

http://youtu.be/3x0Yq4si8-k

Nick Fradiani – This New York City auditioner is the lead singer of Beach Avenue, which got some TV time on the last season of America’s Got Talent. Nick is a real pro, and I rather liked his raspy vocal interpretation of “In Your Eyes” by Peter Gabriel. He’s an effortless performer, which is what this competition needs right now.

http://youtu.be/aXLbccLZSN4

Tyanna Jones – “Wings” by Little Mix – This girl is like a cross between last season’s Majesty Rose and Malaya Watson, but I get the feeling she won’t choke in front of the cameras. The young girl has a swagger that’s infectious and appealing. And her soulful take on the Little Mix hit, “Wings” had me believing she really could fly.

http://youtu.be/GC9nxaCGMPI

Rayvon Owen – I was “Wide Awake” during this San Francisco audition of the Katy Perry hit. Rayvon performed with quiet emotion, a pretty tone and gorgeous phrasing. The precise and unusual way he played with melody had me wanting MORE.

http://youtu.be/oBLfRozHsW0

Katherine Winton – Katherine’s audition was buried beneath a montage of losers, which likely distracted many from her mournful, rootsy performance of the Civil Wars “If I Didn’t Know Better.” I’m keeping my fingers cross that she’s a dark horse.

http://youtu.be/-uKgfqY8XAw

Hollywood Anderson – Hollywood practically had the judges in New York City (and pretty much everyone else!) in tears with his original song, “My Best Friend.” A solid songwriter and a compelling and moving interpreter with a pop/rock flair–I’m looking forward to what else this intriguing personality has got.

http://youtu.be/dG-n3PXg3ZE

Riley Bria – This fresh faced singer has a sweet high tenor and a mixture of innocence and musical chops. Obviously an acolyte of Keith Urban, whom Riley seemed to have an encyclopedic knowledge of, it will be interesting to see if he is able to stretch himself in the competition. His Nashville audition demonstrated some solid guitar skills and good stage presence.

http://youtu.be/GQnQojMJcQU

Hunter Larsen – She’s both quirky and classic in the vein of pop singer Pink. She’s got that wonderful rasp, too, that adds a perfect touch of grit to her sweet tone. Her performance of Frank Sinatra’s “That’s Life,” revealed a smart and musically intelligent sensibility. Plus, Hunter seems like she’d be a BLAST at a party. What else does this singer have up her sleeve? I want to know.

http://youtu.be/JDqh4SOf7HQ