Hey "above average piano playing" hot dang!! I'll take it 😂

CJ - wish we could have seen a real audition from him - he didn't mean to audition with that

A lot of us genuinely really like CJ! Rooting for him - he's a talented cutie!

I like the bus guy. I think he's top 24.

Yes!! Part 2!

So enjoy your commentary.. I appreciate your music knowledge. .. so interesting.. and I think you are spot on with your critiques.. or at least I hear what you hear

Thank you, Clark, for making these videos every week! This series has really brought me and my dad closer together and we both look forward to seeing what you have to say about every contestant. I hope to audition for Idol in the future, and watching you has given me a lot of inspiration to follow my dreams :)

Thanks, love to hear what you say,, genuine.

Love your breakdowns. I liked it last season when you were sitting at your keyboard and giving examples.

Clark, Completely agree with your comments about Madai. Thank you!

Thanks Clark! You really do rock

AI auditions are not only to spot talent, but also to entertain. So the quirky ones, the human interest ones are included. It’s in the later rounds that real competition is. Funny how the strongest contestants are at the end of the episodes.

I totally agree with you… this episode was definitely lacking. I kept waiting for the “star”…and was left wanting

Clark has great insight. Appreciate his reviews.

I loved will ..he was fantastic.

I loved CJ. I hope he goes far.

I just want to share with you my situation. I live in the Czech Republic, where obviously they don't stream American Idol, but I am a big fan of American Idol (I would say I am almost addicted to the show) and I try to get as much as I can from KZfaq. There are channels, where they cut the whole episode into smaller clips and also the is the official Idol channel. But I have never seen a full episode from the beginning till the end (other than in this way). I also have one problem here in Czech Republic - because literary no one watches American Idol (we have our own version of the show called Superstar, but it is much worse than the American one - so I don't watch it) - I don't have anyone who could talk with me about the American version of the show and how we like it. So I am grateful for Clark, who always shares how he likes the contestants (or not), because for me it is kind of similar to how I would share my impression from a show that I like with a friend.

Thanks for doing these Clark!! When Idol first started, it instantly became "don't miss" tv for me.(Side note: I was captivated by Kelly Clarkson from that very first audition and, to this day, she is STILL one of my all-time favorite artists!!!💙💙)I quit watching around 2010-2011. But a few seasons ago, I discovered your recap and ended up tuning back in. A lot of the things I had gotten fed up with before have changed but I would never have known that without your breakdowns!! I enjoy your coverage as well as the bits of info you include both about behind the scenes of the show and about singing in general.💙Keep up the great work!!!💙

🙏 You're right about Madai.

Jennifer Jeffries was amazing!!

I FF through Madai and rewound wondering what I missed when she got thru but still don't know what I missed.

With Madai's audition, I was reminded of Uche's audition from American Idol 2019. Very similar styles and approach to the audition, and the judges took a similar approach to strip away the "frosting." But I wish they had asked Madai what her influences are, like they asked Uche. That was the turning point for Lionel to get behind Uche, and I think Luke was looking for the same info from Madai. Madai talked a bit about genres but that's not the same. Or they could have taken a bit more time with her like they did with Erika Perry in 2021. Overall I think this season is missing that type of "coaching" in auditions. Like in HunterGirl's audition -- I rewatched that so many times, Luke's suggestion of a key change and her execution was awesome. Wish they would do more of that.

Interesting. The best auditions for me so far.

Your cover is my absolute favorite?……literally blew me away.

You are normally spot on. You might be be way wrong on Will Mosley. I can find myself getting male country fatigue between AI and V, but I am pretty sure Will is going to be big.

Could not agree more.

why can i finish your sentences? i agree 100% each time with you, that's crazy

CJ get lost in the mix with that song writing? I don't think so. I think we've only scratched the surface.

Don’t understand your lukewarm reaction of CJ. He was FANTASTIC imo, and is my fave so far.

Your recaps are the best people NEED to listen to you!!! Subscribe everyone

I was with you till will he's the best I've seen so far

This is my 6th season of watching Idol and every year after the audition episodes are done, Ive always had one, sometimes two contestants that Im absolutely ecstatic about and usually a couple more that caught my eye (or ear, whatever)... But honestly, for me, this seasons auditions so far have been disappointing. I like McKenna and I like Abi. Thats it really. Nobody has made me kinda sit up straight in my recliner and rewind their audition to hear it again. I really really hope that they're saving that for the last audition episode cuz if not, this season is gonna blow.

I thought fantasia wS cocky but look at her now a star ❤

With you on your comments. Madai do to much of "acrobatics" with her voice. Greetings from South Africa

Question - I've been watching these every year - don't have cable - so that's what is holding me back from joining the groove crew! Is there a way for people to watch with you or do you need cable TV? Love your critiques and insight behind the scenes. No one this week did it for me either. Week one was so strong I could make a top ten out of them alone.

Clark, As for CJ .. many people including myself love jazz; slow & easy that tell a story.. not a fan of all that high pitched screaming where you can't even hear the words of the song. I just went on iTunes and bought a couple of CJs singles. He dropped 29 of his original songs on February 29. Great songs that are getting many views. I don't think he needed American Idol. BTW my 18 & 16-year-old granddaughters love his songs. Pretty sure they don't even know who Adele is. However I am enjoying your critiques of the singers. I know someone who might like to take your class for voice lessons, to be on idol but have a professional help her with her singing. I will send her your link. TY

Will had the country sound and he's authentic, stay in his lane which he will and he could make the final, not my favorite this season but hes got what this show votes for no question.

Totally agree on your critique on Madai. 1000% too much of everything. She came across very fake and more like a character than an authentic singer. She sounded good on Happy Birthday though I thought and just wondered why she didn't choose a serious song/performance for her audition in the first place. The thing that really pissed me off was how Katy was a yes to her and a no to Laela - who sounded SO good!! One thing with Madai's annoying voices she was doing that I thought, was maybe she was hoping she'd get seen for that and get work on Disney films or something, because it's obviously not needed for American Idol. She definitely performed like a theater act, so Broadway seems like a perfect fit for her. I thought for sure the judges were going to say that, as they usually do for those kind of performances. Hoping she emerges with just the cake and not all the frosting going forward!

I really liked Will myself. He gave me Chris Stapleton vibes.

❤😊

Madai was my favorite .. she's nuts :)

I think one thing Katie and Luke liked about Will was some of the lyrics from the original song he performed. It set him apart.

Thanks for completing the critique. What was the problem? Sorry no idol next week. As fir the Oscars Paul Giametti in The Holdovers hopefully wins best actor again.

Has the Livestream started?

Have you seen Australia idol

It’ll be interesting to see, as always, how things unfold as we move forward, but this is another episode that highlights for me just how different my taste in music and vocalists is to yours. I have not been so influenced by the gospel and r&b and I’m just not really into that style. I respect the heck out of it but it often leaves me a bit ….meh. It’s what I love so much about your breakdowns. You tune me into aspects of singing and performing that I wouldn’t necessarily appreciate but I always come away feeling like my world has been opened up a bit. There were performances in this episode that grabbed me and watching you be like ….. “Nah …” makes me chuckle. I respect your reasoning and agree that while some of these voices are very unique, they might not hold up to the onslaught that awaits them.

That’s a long way to say Madai’s audition was wretched. I thought she was a joke audition

I didn't think Madai was "LOVED" by the judges. I think they saw that she looks great, has performed professionally as a singer, and has a voice underneath the antics. Katy gave her a good talking to about attention-seeking in the pursuit of fame. I could tell just from her speaking voice that she could probably sing well, so I wouldn't be surprised if she delivers some nice vocals moving forward.

C.J is bigger than any Idol, just wait and see.

I liked Cj

👍

I actually love this episode, such a positive vibes, everyone was smiling and excited ! ❤

Why did he put I HATED ALL OF IT in the thumbnail but he actually didn’t hate it?

Anyone else not have audio?

Nick was alright but Will was significantly better.

Aint no way you say will wasnt that good and said the other country boy from episode 1 was goodm lol

Don’t really understand why Idol allows full songs in auditions nowadays? In the old days Simon/Paula/Randy would hold up their hand after about a minute like ‘Ok we get what you’re capable of’. I honestly get bored with the full 3 minute songs and would rather they show more auditions, tbh. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Clark, you seem to be a well meaning person. Many of your critiques don't match up with my own, but when they do I appreciate the way you articulate your view. But, the Bach Beehoven comment still bothers me. If Bach had not picked A440 as a standard and tuned instruments all over his domain, we'd have never enjoyed opera, jazz, rock and roll, and so on. I implore you to rethink why you teach what you teach or please, enlighten a fan. What am I missing. I still belive dumbing down students, making it too easy for them will come back to haunt us for decades to come.

I just don't feel that Madai really knows who she is as an artist yet because she spent far too much time in her audition really being any singer except for herself. Just my humble opinion, but she tried basically imitating like 5-10 different artists all at once and none of them were that great. Hopefully, with time, she will find out who Madai truly is as an artist because I was left completely in the dark not knowing anything about who she really is in a very uncomfortable way.

Just not seeing stars this season.

FYI. I was charged $6.99

Wasn’t loving this episode of idol like I did week 1

I thought CJ sounded great

Did not like Madai.

Madai was almost clownish and was way too full of herself...imo she wont last long

This episode was so … bleh.

This episode was a big disappointment

Can you please talk faster.

she was awfullllllllllllll