Fox’s hit reality show American Idol has been sweeping the nation since it premiered in America five years ago with its first Idol winner, Kelly Clarkson. Since then, four more have followed in her footsteps.
So each year around January, we get ready for American Idol, and yes, the bad auditions. However, the auditions are not like they seem on television. The way TV makes it look, you get in and sing in front of Randy, Simon and Paula and you are either in or out. That would certainly explain how some people made it past the front door.
However, the audition process is nothing like you see on TV. I had the fortunate experience of having one of my friends try out for American Idol, so I got to see first-hand the experience of the real American Idol audition process.
It started out with Angela, one of my friends and few others, wondering what Simon would say to us if we ever tried out for American Idol. Most of us know we can’t sing, but Angela was a different story. She could sing.
So, this August started the American Idol journey. At the Pasadena Rose Bowl, auditions to find the next American Idol were being held. This is what we like to call round one. More than 10,000 people showed up that day, yet only 240 would progress to the next round.
Angela’s friend, Rey decided that he was going to audition for American Idol’and convinced Angela to go with him, to audition just for fun. “What are the chances they will pick me?” is a thought she later told us was going through her mind the whole time. Yet, ever eager to support her friends as Angela so often does, she went to the Pasadena Rose Bowl to audition in front of producers with him. While Rey didn’t make it past the first round, Angela did, she was going to round two.
The second set of auditions normally doesn’t take place right away. In the case of the Los Angeles auditions, after making it past the first round, you show up a month later for round two.
Round two is also unlike anything that is shown on television. They tell you to bring your friends and family, so you are under the assumption that this is the round that determines if the contestant will be going to Hollywood or not. Unfortunately, there is more to be done before you are deemed good enough to go in front of the three judges.
It was for this round, on Sept. 23 that my friend, Lynleigh and I got to accompany Angela and see first hand how the real auditions take place.
The American Idol producers told Angela that she was welcome to bring friends and family to this audition. So my friend and I, along with relatives and friends of the other contestants assumed that this was the audition where the contestants that would sing in front of Randy, Simon and Paula, however, we soon learned that this was not the way the American Idol process went.
We got to the audition area and Angela was checked in. They separated us and put the contestants in one room and the family and friends in another. We were still under the impression that the judges audition would be taking place today, but there was a rumor that instead you sing in front of the producers and if the producers like you, then you make it to the judges audition.
It turns out that these rumors are indeed true. So finally, we were called to go with Angela to sing in front of a producer, Charles. When we got up there, we saw many people were getting rejected for various reasons. Either they sounded too much like Carrie Underwood, or they weren’t looking for that style of singing, the reasons went on.
Angela, however, impressed Charles and was given the OK to move on to the next round. Would this be the round where she finally sings in front of Randy, Simon and Paula? Unfortunately no. She still had one more producer to impress and that was the executive producer and one of the Judges on So You Think You Can Dance, Nigel Lythgoe. Angela successfully made it through that round, but unfortunately, her audition with the three main judges would be taking place later in the week.
Wednesday arrived, and yet again, my friend Lynleigh and I were present to witness this audition. Yet again we were placed in a room, this time with Angela, and waited for several hours. In this time, the production crew was doing interviews that would air on the show before each contestant did their bit. There were contestants that got the “no” to Hollywood in previous seasons that had come back to try again, some who had made it to Hollywood but not to the final 12 determined to strut their stuff, and of course, fresh new hopefuls.
Finally at around 1:00 p.m. (after arriving there at 7:30 a.m.) Lythgoe lead Randy, Paula and Simon, and one surprise guest judge, which turned out to be Oliva Newton John into the room. After the three judges (Oliva Newton John remained silent) spoke about what they were expecting out of this competition they left and the auditions began.
Finally it was Angela’s turn to go and audition, and she went in to sing for the judges. While she did her audition, as seen on the show, we spoke to Ryan Seacrest about Angela. However, when the door opened and Angela walked out, it was sadly, a unanimous no to Hollywood.
According to Angela, what had happened was she had gotten nervous, and had messed up on a few notes. When asked what the judges said to her, she said that Simon asked “Who knows that you’re here? Your friends? What did they think of your singing?” to which she answered that we think that her singing is alright. He then asked her who we think she sounds like, to which she answered “Sarah McLachlan” at which point she told us that Randy told her that she sounded more like William Hung. Gee, that’s original, just because she’s Chinese American. Angela said that Oliva and Paula made a face knowing that Randy had said something overly hash. Gee, isn’t that supposed to be Simon’s area? All and all, it was a no to Hollywood.
When I asked Angela about her thoughts about how the auditions turned out, this is what she had to say: “Just wasn’t my lucky day. I’m enjoying my life of obscurity at the moment just hoping that they won’t air my clip in January. I knew that if you sucked in front of them, they’ll try whatever they can to provoke you and shred you to pieces. They like to air people who react. I didn’t react much and remained speechless for most of the time. Yeah, I’m not handling rejection too well.”
Despite the fact that Angela is not on the road to Hollywood, it was an interesting experience to see just exactly how the auditions really take place. It has given me a new appreciation for the show, and just how far some contestants really have to go to get that golden ticket to Hollywood.
Be sure to tune into American Idol season six in early 2007.
Ashley Brown is a junior creative writing major.
