One of the best Idol contestants ever. In fact, top 3. Not to mention his sincere, giving heart and beautiful soul.♥️

I am 87 years old and Clay Aiken’s voice Anne looks have given me cold chills since the very first time I heard and saw him ! Love you CLAY !

One of the strongest singers AI has ever had.

what amazes me about him is the amount of control over his voice he has

As soon as he opens his mouth to sing, I instinctively smile. Love that boy!!!

had been looking for his charlotte audition for so long!!! tho he doesn't do much public singing nowadays (with exception of few private concerts), its heartening his voice can be found here on youtube.

WOW, what a voice!! I love it...you see this thin guy and suddenly you hear this bold, full, powerful voice come out of him! He's an extraordinary singer.

Clay !!! You’re terrific, oh yeah.. every song, perfect !!!!!🎶🎶🎵🎵🎶🥰👍🏼

This audition gives me goosebumps, just knowing how this moment put him on a course of a brilliant career. :) Go Clay, keep knocking them dead!

The most underrated Idol Contestant ever.

still gives me the chills.......... his voice is amazing...

What a voice!!!how could they not love that voice???

Claymate here, I love Clay and I think he's the best Idol ever!

I love this I love Clay's voice and I will always love Clay's voice and music.

LOVE YOU, CLAY. YOU SING SO PERFECTLY, JUST WONDEROUS. THANK YOU. xx

Wow, that was powerful! He can sing his behind off and he's very soulful. 💞

Aww... He was so ADORABLE!

Just the fact that I get it, how wonderful Clay Aiken's voice is. How amazing and pure it sounds, makes me feel better about myself. He has the best voice of Our Generation and not enough people know that.. unfortunately.

I love this song and this is the first time that hearing someone sing this song made me cry. Every time his voice moved up and down in pitch my heart moved with it. I LOVE his voice.

He has a voice from God. Don't care what anyone says

It's the first time I have seen this video........ it was indeed, a fabulous audition. It is always amazing to me when someone sings acapella anyhow. Good job on this one Clay.

I've been to some of his shows and he brings the house down every time!!!!!

I had no idea when I clicked this video, but I got goosebumps when he started singing!!

Clay Aiken's voice is so awesome! I can't wait until his new album comes out!

Always my fav. Idol even though he came in second.

My very first concert was a Clay Aiken one when I was around 15. He was amazing and still is.

Clay Aiken sings beautifully. He reeks of pure talent.

How he has improved to higher potential....love the song Mary Did You Know? Sings it better than other artist.

Perfect voice

My Gosh..he could make that song sound like that? Simply incredible. Bless him...

Mr. Aiken has paved the road for all young uns to go for the gold at the end of the rainbow. Yeah!!!!

My all time favorite AI contestant.

awesome vocals!!!!!... he is really a raw talent!!!!... hope he keeps up his work!!!... great future ahead!!!....

I saw him in concert. He was so good.

Our precious precious Clay - he sounded fine to me then! Look at him now!!! He is just awesome.

I love this guy.... He has a really good voice.

There will never be another singer like Clay on American Idol. He broke the mold!

OMG An ANGEL just sang. Wow! Dear Lawd, I LOVE Clay!

I LOVED and still love Clay Aiken. He is an amazing and very talented guy whose voice is just incredible, and it really shouldn't matter if he is gay.

GREAT VOICE

He looks so adorable with his little glasses on and his sweater. lmfao.

But one has to admit, he did make this song sound WAY amazing with his extraordinary voice.

I loved all the riffs he put into the song. He did a real good job on it. =)

Wow! What a voice!

What a voice, love me some Clay Aiken!

Ahh He is soooooooooo awesome!

smooth voice.....very nice :)

Wow. What a voice!

You sound so beautiful still today as you always have, thank you for always healing my heart

I could listen to him sing forever!

What a great voice!!!

yuppers Clay. Such strength, perfect pitch. You go boy.

Well, he obviously has amazing talent! Don't know what was wrong with the folks who dumped him...

His singing truly took me over the rainbow :)

One of the best contenders...wow.

There is so much soul in his voice!

I love his voice!!

He said, "Oh thank you." In that Carolina twang, my friend.

he reminds me here of a cute little leprechaun....then when he got his makeover he looked way better...go clay awesome voice!!

How in the world did he not make it based on this audition? It's beautiful! :)

gah...ridICULously charming/charismatic voice. He's got the epic male singing voice

i love you, Clay...!!!

Wow he was good here, too. It's amazing how all that practice can improve talent.

wow he's really good. liked this a lot :)

Just AWESOME!

I like the geek look!That's what makes him so special...

Great voice then and great voice now!

I really did not expect that voice from him... amazing

i like his voice because it sound so much like a broadway character.

I have aways been on his side from day one!

he sings great, wowwwwww, i love when he signs proud of youe boy, amazing

It'sone of the auditions from American Idol - each contestant goes through many auditions before they make it to the top 24 and get to be on TV -

Clay has a great voice!

i'm so jealous. i love southern twangs and drawls hahaha

Incredible voice! Clay, you should have won!!

Clay should be on Broadway!!

hes actually really good. better than i expected.

Jesus Christ, he's got a talent from God!!!! I love you Clay❤️

he's wonderful =] and so nerdy here haha but i love him!

He's so cute

He's so cute.

Funny-looking? He looked great! He is 100% adorable! :D

i really wished i watched this season!!!

i first thought you made this to make fun like others, but hes amazing. :)

Aiken is a tremendous singer and his music should be playing in all of the radio stations but isn't. His talent has nothing to do with his lifestyle. He is a very warm person so come on and give him a chance. For those that hate him remember you will get karma for all of the hate.

POOR CLAY:( i love him hes hilarious.

PULLEEEESE! Ppl need to stop bothering us with the Clay/gay thing.He's said many times he IS NOT gay!Why not enjoy his amazing talent as a singer & entertainer.All he wants to do is sing & make ppl smile.I heard him say this.Stop being jealous cuz u wish u had what he's got.Here is a rising star.How he got cut with that amazing voice,I'll never understand.Luv the gift & the package it comes in!

A crystal clear voice 👏👏👏

Holy fuck. Did you hear how the microphone was oversaturated at the end. Cant imagine the clipping htat wouldve happened if his mouth had been positioned diredctly into it. This tiny frail man has the voice of a giant

He's pretty awesome.

he has an amazing voice. i made a puppy dog face when he started xD

His accent is adorable!

He should have Won American Idol Wrong Winner!!!

This audition sounds a little rush and forced, but I STILL LOVE HIM!

I love Clay and I think he is a tremendous talent. But I also think that a singer's quality goes beyond their mere vocal instrument. What I hear in Clay's voice today that I don't think he quite grasped yet at the time of this audition was a certain level of maturity, artistry and emotional connection to the material that gives richness, depth and emotion to his performances. This video makes it clear he has possession of a special instrument, but I think the ability to "play" it proficiently is something that he acquired over time and with experience. Clearly there would be those who disagree with me, and that's fine. Perhaps they are so blown away with his impressive power and range that they can't see any flaws. I don't blame them. But as to those commenters who are dissing Ruben Studdard and his fans, Ruben may not possess as impressive an instrument as Clay. But he "played" it with a soulfulness, maturity and a deep, emotional connection that was incomparable at the time to any of his competitors on Idol, including Clay. I personally like both artists. I think if you favor one over the other, than you should celebrate and enjoy that one. But given honest consideration to my point about Clay's voice and his artistic maturity and development over time might make you come to appreciate him even more today, for the growth that he has shown.

adorable, now and back then.

he says "my name is clay aiken" wooooooooooow. how could it not be him.

his voice doesnt' match his looks! His voice is so rich and powerful, the perfect broadway/musical voice!

Beautiful

i'd love to see him in a broadway production, i think his voice would be perfect for it. Mr goldstone in gypsy?