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Popular reality competition series American Idol season 21 aired a brand new episode on Sunday, February 26, 2023, at 8 pm ET on ABC. It documented the second round of auditions, where a fresh new set of contestants delivered impressive performances in hopes of impressing the judges and viewers to gain a ticket and advance to the Hollywood Week round of the competition.
On this week's episode of American Idol, 15-year-old singer Kaylin Hedges stunned the judges with her voice, musical skills, and tonal quality. Not only did she earn a standing ovation, she received a surprise from her father who was in the army, and to top it all off, she also earned a platinum ticket that helped her skip Hollywood week and advanced her to the next round.
Fans took to social media to express how ecstatic they were at the 15 year-old's audition. They also celebrated her platinum ticket win. One tweeted:
Season 21 of the hit ABC series has been extremely popular amongst viewers. The premiere aired last week and saw many contestants perform in front of judges - pop princess Katy Perry, Oscar-winning singer/songwriter Lionel Richie, and country superstar Luke Bryan. While some delivered stunning performances, others had a lot of room to improve and weren't selected.
Kaylin Hedges receives a platinum ticket on American Idol
Tonight's episode of American Idol began with the judges welcoming the contestants for the second round of auditions. Viewers got to witness many talented singers throughout the episode that left them speechless. One among them was 15 year-old Kaylin Hedges.
When asked who her inspiration was, the contestant revealed that it was her father, who was in the military and was stationed overseas. The judges applauded her father and thanked him for his service to the country. Kaylin wanted to perform a song that she related to the most and was dedicated to her father and her feelings about them living far from each other.
For her audition on American Idol, Kaylin performed Lonestar's I'm Already There. Throughout her performance, the judges were stunned at the contestant's range, tone and musical skills. They were seen looking at her in awe and enjoying the audition. She received a standing ovation from the judges, who were in disbelief that the voice was coming from the 15-year-old.
Luke expressed that he was initially worried about Kaylin taking quick falsettos but eventually realized she had a big voice. The judges then played her a message from her father, who ended his message with the words "take a look around." Katy, Luke, and Lionel asked her to do the same. The contestant then received a surprise from her father, who was present for the audition.
She was overjoyed at the surprise and hugged her father tightly. Even her mother, who was waiting outside, was surprised. The judges then huddled up to to make a decision and took the votes up a notch. They awarded Kaylin the only platinum ticket reserved for the city, which puts her at an advantage, as she not only gets to rest her voice in the Hollywood Week round, but also will be able to gauge the pulse of her fellow competitors.
Fans react to American Idol contestant Kaylin Hedges' performance
Fans took to social media to express their opinions about Kaylin's performance. They echoed the judges' sentiments, in that they couldn't believe that she was 15 years old and was singing so well.
Season 21 of American Idol has seen a significant amount of talent in the form of singers and musicians. As the season progresses, many others will take to the stage and deliver historic performances that will leave viewers stunned. Fans will have to stay tuned to witness all of the magic in the coming weeks.
Don't forget to tune in to a brand new episode of American Idol next Sunday, March 5, 2023, at 8 pm ET on ABC.
