American Idol season 22 episode 3: Recap and more details explored

American Idol season 22 judge Lionel Richie (Image via ABC)

American Idol season 22 premiered on February 18, 2024, and saw the return of judges Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie, and Katy Perry. This week, auditions continued, just like in the previous two episodes.

The ABC show is a well-renowned singing competition series that has a legacy of introducing iconic artists such as Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson, Adam Lambert, and Carrie Underwood to the world. This season, through auditions, viewers will find out which contestant will make it to the top five and compete for the title of American Idol 2024 in the end.

Season 22 Episode 3 aired on Sunday, March 3, 2024, at 8 pm ET exclusively on ABC. According to Rotten Tomatoes, the newly released episode's synopsis is as follows:

"Talented hopefuls inch one step closer to Hollywood stardom as they audition for the judges; viewers get a glimpse into the judges' own beginnings with memorable trips to their hometowns."

What happened in American Idol season 22 episode 3?

In episode 3, fans were impressed by each performance, one of which included Madaí Chakell's audition.

22-year-old Madaí sang I Kissed a Girl by Katy Perry in front of the American Idol judge herself. Though her first song wasn't a perfect choice to showcase her singing abilities, Perry decided to give her another chance after noticing her potential to sing well.

After singing her next song, Madaí earned the golden ticket to Hollywood.

The highlight of American Idol season 22 episode 3 was the brother-sister duo Max and Laela Dasher from North Carolina. They auditioned individually first and then sang a duet together. 18-year-old Max sang Rock Salt and Nails by Utah Phillips, for which he earned praise from the judges and a standing ovation from Katy Perry.

Luke gave him some advice alongside voting a yes for sending Max to Hollywood:

“You just did your audition exactly the way I would have. If we can get you to breathe and calm down, you’ve got a little bit of magic to you," he said.

Meanwhile, 20-year-old Laela covered Angel from Montgomery by John Prine. After her performance ended, Katy mentioned she might need more practice for transitioning from high to low volume and that her vocals were a bit torn.

Lionel and Luke, however, gave her a yes so she's going to Hollywood with her brother. The two siblings ended their audition with a duet in which they sang Rivers and Roads by The Head and the Heart.