American Idol 14: New York Auditions

After the underwhelming Kansas episode, American Idol decided to continue with the rollercoaster ride as they slap us with an episode that will probably go down as one of the strongest audition episodes in recent memory. Seriously. There are probably eight people here that I can see winning the show! That's crazy! Oh, and Adam Lamber was actually a pretty good judge. Good job!

On with the show!

Sal Valentinetti
Fly Me To The Moon
While Sal has a good voice and he didn't miss a single note on this standard classic, I don't think he has the charm and swag to pull off this genre. Maybe it was just me, but it just didn't work. 5

J. None
My Prerogative
He's a fine singer, but I honestly don't think he's remarkable enough to standout in this competition - especially in his genre. 6

Jax Cole
I Wanna Hold Your Hand
Very nice. I liked that she knows her limitations as a vocalist as she worked around that, took her time, and made the song refined and nuanced. Plus, her tone sounded lovely and interesting. 8.5

Najah Lewis
Payphone
GORGEOUS! Her slowed down version of this Maroon 5 hit was lovely and she backed it up with a rich lower register, great vocal control, and a grounded quality to her that connects. Hands down, one of my favorite auditions this season. 9

Tion Phipps
If I Was Your Man
He's a decent singer, but he did hit some wobbly notes with those runs no? 5.5

James Killian Dunn
Latch
Strong falsetto. Good transition. I'm hoping his chest voice can hold its own. 6.5

Shi Scott
Valerie
Yes, her act of being all nervous was a little too rehearsed for me, but she has an impressive voice. It's stylized and a bit polarizing, but one can't deny the fact that she can sing, has a wonderful tone, and she looked really pretty. Like, model pretty. 8

Eric Lopez
The Show Must Go On
All. Over. The. Place. 1

Maddie Walker
Suitcase
I may not be the biggest country music fan, but Maddie has a fantastic country tone. Her voice was clear, and there's a maturity to her singing that's pretty interesting. 7

Courtney Zahn
Classic
Solid, but forgettable. 6.5

Jackie Nese
Born This Way
Blah. She may have some strong pipes, but there's no depth to her. 5

Qaasim Middleton
Sir Duke
He had some great moments during his audition, but some parts were to overwrought that he lost me in the process. There's potential, but he need to sort it out. 7

Adam Ezegelian
Born To Be Wild / I'm Yours
His Born To Be Wild was a little jarring with all those growls and whatnot, but the moment he switched to I'm Yours, I was quite sold. Some of his vocal choices were pretty interesting, his phrasing was good, and he actually has a good grasp of his pitch. 7.5

Katherine Winston
If I Didn't Know Better
What a lovely voice! I somehow hated the fact that she had to be the background of some rejected contestants, but her understated vocal interpretation of this song was both beautiful and haunting. 8

Travis Finlay
Stay
There's a fluidity to his delivery of the song that I liked, his voice sounded strong, and while he didn't hit a couple of notes, I actually loved his audition. His rich tone was front and center, and how he controlled his voice was mostly on point. 8

Nick Fradiani
In Your Eyes
Nick probably has one of the most radio-ready voices in the competition this season. Seriously. His vocals sounded a lot more polished than most of his contemporaries, and there's a grit to his voice that's pretty outstanding. 8.5

Hollywood Anderson
My Best Friend
WOW. Topnotch songwriting. Awesome vocals. Incredible personality. This guy is special. 9