This 'powerful' audition had Lionel Richie leaping from his chair on 'American Idol'
Canaan James Hill's audition on Sunday night's episode of "American Idol" wasn't just emotionally moving, it was physically moving too.
Canaan introduced himself as a 17-year-old from Dallas, Texas, who graduated high school early and was getting into preaching.
After the brief introduction, he broke into Earnest Pugh's 2011 song "I Need Your Glory."
The rendition prompted "Idol" judge Lionel Richie to leap from his seat, dance and approach Canaan to express his appreciation for his impressive voice.
Fellow "American Idol" judge Luke Bryan also hollered in amazement as Canaan sang.
Watch the entire performance here.
After the performance, Richie approached Canaan, placing both hands on the contestant's shoulders.
"That was powerful," said Richie. "You have been so blessed."
Son of Backstreet Boys member hopes to advance on 'American Idol'
"Are you OK?" judge Carrie Underwood as Richie returned to his desk.
"No, I am not OK. Look where my seat is. I had to sit back here to listen," he said, pointing out how far his seat had been moved as he watched the performance.
"That was something so spectacular. I just can't even describe what I heard," he added.
Richie wasn't the only judge thoroughly impressed by Canaan's performance.
Underwood said she was left "speechless" by the Canaan's singing and Bryan said he had "never seen anything like it."
Lionel Richie, Robin Roberts return to their roots in Tuskegee, Alabama
After a unanimous "yes" vote, Richie gifted Canaan with a "Platinum Ticket."
"It means you can bypass the first round of Hollywood, and you get to sit back and watch all the people you're gonna slay," Richie said, while handing Canaan one of three highly coveted tickets that "Idol" judges can award contestants.
"Hollywood Week," where contestants try to continue their dreams of singing their way to stardom, kicks off on Monday.
This 'powerful' audition had Lionel Richie leaping from his chair on 'American Idol' originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Rock Icon, 69, Looks Youthful in Bold Outfit at NYC Documentary Premiere
Rock Icon, 69, Looks Youthful in Bold Outfit at NYC Documentary Premiere originally appeared on Parade. When it comes to rock stars with style, no one does it better than Billy Idol. On Tuesday, June 10, the 'White Wedding' singer, 69, arrived at the New York City premiere of his documentary, Billy Idol Should Be Dead, rocking an all-black look complete with a skirt, blazer, and trendy boots. Idol completed the look with chunky silver jewelry. As always, his signature bleach blonde hair was spiked to perfection. Billy Idol Should Be Dead is a documentary about the musician's rise to fame in the late 1970s and 1980s. As for the somewhat shocking title of the film, Idol found it quite fitting. 'Well, it's one of those things that people usually say when they don't realize I'm still alive. They actually say that: 'Isn't he dead?' Yeah, I should be dead with everything that I did to myself. But it just made me laugh; the idea of that as the title,' he revealed during an interview with The Ankler earlier this month. 🎬SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox🎬 'I think the documentary has got a depth to it, as we really worked on it over quite a long period of time, mainly because the coronavirus was going on while we were making it. It kept getting stopped for one reason or another from the different waves of the virus,' Idol continued. 'But actually it really helped the documentary in the sense that we were able to massage it and really look at what we had and realize what we needed,' he added. 'I think we've got something really good. I think it's a really great documentary that shows a lot of aspects of my life.' Following the red carpet and premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival, Idol is set to Icon, 69, Looks Youthful in Bold Outfit at NYC Documentary Premiere first appeared on Parade on Jun 10, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
Cosmopolitan
a day ago
- Cosmopolitan
Did Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom Break Up for Good?
Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom are reportedly going through a rough patch in their relationship—and while some sources have straight up said it's over, apparently the couple are trying to work things out. "Katy has been through it the last few months," an insider tells the Daily Mail. "Leaving American Idol, releasing her lackluster album, the debacle over her space mission, and her struggling tour have been disappointing and stressful. There aren't many people she can dump her emotions on, but obviously she can with Orlando. But with his work and juggling parenting, life as of late has put a strain on their relationship." The source adds that while "rumors of a rough patch are true," apparently it's "not at the point of no return. They know they must fix things, and they both want to figure it out. They haven't been able to sit down and work on some of their issues. A breakup isn't imminent, but they both know that they should focus on their relationship before it does become too late." So, sounds like there's some chance of reconciliation! This comes amid a source telling Us Weekly that "It's true they're spending time apart. Their friends don't know if they are permanently split." Meanwhile, an insider previously told the outlet that Orlando keeps his issues with Katy "close to the vest," and that "Katy has been very busy working, and they are apart often. That has caused tension."
USA Today
2 days ago
- USA Today
'American Idol' winner Jamal Roberts speaks out about judge Carrie Underwood
'American Idol' winner Jamal Roberts speaks out about judge Carrie Underwood Show Caption Hide Caption Jamal Roberts on being 'American Idol' winner, going home to daughters Jamal Roberts won "American Idol" Season 23, but he's about to get even busier after recently welcoming a baby girl. "American Idol" winner Jamal Roberts is addressing the discourse surrounding his relationship with judge Carrie Underwood. Roberts made the remarks when journalist Nate Vinson asked him about the "very strong narrative online" around Underwood's first season as a judge. "People who watch the show that felt like she really wasn't supportive of you like other judges or other people," Vinson said. Roberts, 27, responded by saying that "Carrie is a country singer and she likes country music. I mean, I don't think she likes every genre for real. She had her picks, and she had her (choice) of who she really liked, and she stuck with it. "We applaud her for sticking to her roots and sticking to who she liked, but I feel like the better person won," Roberts continued in the red carpet clip from a BET 45th anniversary dinner. 'American Idol' finale reveals 2025 winner: Is it Jamal, John or Breanna? USA TODAY reached out to reps for "American Idol," Roberts and Underwood for comment. Last month, the Mississippi gym teacher prevailed on the singing competition show over a pair of country singers, John Foster and Breanna Nix. The conversation surrounding Roberts and Underwood, the show's Season 4 winner in her own right, took place all season long. At the BET 45th Anniversary Dinner, 'American Idol' winner Jamal Roberts responded to fans calling out judge Carrie Underwood for her lack of support for Roberts across the season. 'I don't think she likes every genre for real,' he shares. #BETAwards — reporting for duty. (@TheGreatIsNate) June 11, 2025 In his "Idol" audition, Underwood told Roberts that he needed to "loosen up" and find some "swagger." Despite the backlash she experienced for her perceived treatment of Roberts by some, the "Before He Cheats" hitmaker wished Roberts well after his May 18 win. "Congratulations to the newest winner of @americanidol !!! I'm so proud of @officialjamalroberts and all he has accomplished this season and I can't wait to see what mountains he climbs next! He's going to do great things!" Underwood wrote in an Instagram caption. Underwood also told USA TODAY she had some nerves around the winner announcement, reminiscent of her own moment she'd experienced two decades ago. "My heart was pounding when Ryan was looking at the card and doing the pause thing," Underwood said. "There are a lot of moments that take me back to my time on the show." Contributing: KiMi Robinson
