Idol Chatter & Voice Views

The number of golden ticket recipients from each American Idol audition city far exceed the number of contestants we meet on the show.

Here are the males we didn’t meet during the Baton Rouge audition episode.

I’ve included a blurb on each with information gleaned from their Road to Hollywood videos on americanidol.com.

In cases where a video of them singing or performing could be located, I’ve also included that.

If you know of existing YouTube videos for a contestant who doesn’t have one below, simply let me know and I’ll add it.

And to hear more from American Idol’s other Hollywood bound contestants, head here.

Adam McPhaill

This gent from Russellville, Kent., said Randy Jackson pinpointed what makes him unique during his audition. Randy said I would have no problem with people getting my voice confused with anyone else. I think it’s pretty original.” As for his style of music? I’m a county singer with a little bit of soul and a little bit of twang and it all kind of just comes together to be it’s own thing. I think county music needs me,” Andy says. He credits his mom and the other family members who accompanied him to the audition for helping make it happen. After all, he traveled 10 hours to try out. His favorite former Idol? Carrie Underwood, easily. He calls her “the best vocalist of all time.” The quality of the video below isn’t very good. You can head here for more of his music.

“Do You Believe Me Now”

Dan Wood

Dan says his musical inspiration came from his grandmother, who was an opera singer. She gave up her dream of pursuing music to raise a family. “She kind of gave me my talent,” Dan says. “No offense, but my mom’s no Barbra Streisand or nothing like that.” The guy from Tampa, Fla., says he’s a well-rounded vocalist who can sing lots of genres. “The people back at home would never have pictured me being on TV right now, but here I am,” he said of receiving his golden ticket. His favorite past Idol contestant is Phillip Phillips. “He didn’t have the craziest range and he wasn’t a belter, but he was unique.”

“Fever”

Kristopher Fuselier

Just 25, Kristopher says he’s already experienced a lot in his life. After all, he’s been in the Air Force and the Marine Corp and was deployed while in the service (he doesn’t say where). From Lakes Charles, La., he says he drew a lot of music inspiration from his older sister, who used to baby-sit him when he was growing up. “She’d listen to ’90s rock. I’d watch her freak out. I’d think, ‘Why is she fresking out?’ That’s cool.'” His favorite past Idol contestants are Carrie Underwood, for the post-show success she’s enjoyed, and Daughtry, because “we’re on the same page, musically.”

He performs with Gabriel’s Last Breath band. Here’s a link to their music.

Laurence Hebert

An Idol judge is among Laurence’s musical inspiratons. Yep, that would be Mariah Carey. Growing up, he loved Mariah, he confesses, “probably more than I should have.” These days, he says his family and friends provide inspiration, partly because they surround him with music. “I’m blessed to have gifted musicians that are my friends. They keep me grounded,” the guy from Lake Charles, La., says. “And they keep me going.” His favorite past Idol is Kelly Clarkson. “That season just did it for me,” Laurence says. “She epitomizes what American Idol is. She’s still relevant. She’s still in great voice.”

No video located

Luis Gamarra

OK, how did Idol not feature this guy in its Baton Rouge episode? He’s from Bolivia, now lives in Weston, Fla., and says he came to American so he could audition for the show. Besides, his audition sounds pretty unique. Luis says he got a hug from Mariah Carey and his father also got to sing for the judges. He describes his dad’s voice as “amazing” and says his grandmother is another source of inspiration because she would always sing to him when he was growing up. “I have struggled so much trying to get here,” Luis says. “I dreamt to be an American Idol in Bolvia. Things started happening, and here I am right now.”

No video located

Micah Walley

Here’s another guy from a musical background. Micah says his grandmother and dad are both songwriters and his grandmother was a country music performer. “It’s always been in me,” the guy from Florence, Ala., says. “My whole family is musical.” While he doesn’t say what he’s doing for a living, Michah notes that being a music coach is part of his job and he thinks that has helped him develop as a singer. As for Idol, he’s been watching the show since he was young and won a dream ticket at Disney to earn a spot at the front of the line to audition. His favorite Idol contestants: Kris Allen and Joshua Ledet. The latter’s voice, “blows my mind,” Micah says.

“Nothings Gonna Hold Me Back” (with Fervent Worship)

Mike Mineo

This gent from Boca Raton, Fla., says he auditioned to “share my talent with as many people as possible.” Rather than an individual, he says he’s inspired by music’s “ability to transcend anybody’s mood and put them in a certain state.” But his favorite musicians includes Bobby McFerren. “He translates the spirit of that very well.” Mike says he thinks he’s a unique performer and most admires a unique Idol, Phillip Phillips. “He was his own person,” Mike says. “I had a lot of respect for that.”

“I Shall Be Released”
Hear lots more from Mike here.

Rhashamel Brooks

What genre of music does Rhashamel specialize in? That’s easy, he says, his own. It’s a mix of classical music with R&B and soul, he explains, a mix no doubt inspired by his favorite aunt’s musical tastes. She would play the records of Etta James, Diana Ross, Ray Charles, “all the old greats,” says Rahshamel, of Savannah, Ga. “The passion they had in that rumble they sort of had in their voice, listening to those old records, made me want to sing like them and be like them.” He says he’s also unique because of the rasp in his voice and his look. “I sort of just rumble through my closet and put things together,” he confesses.

No video located.

Trevor Blakney

Wearing an Army uniform, this lad from Corinth, Miss., proclaims “it’s very hard not to like me.” But, apparently, he didn’t have an easy road to Hollywood. Randy and Nicki voted against sending him through; Mariah and Keith voted for him to receive a golden ticket. That’s when he learned the tiebreaker went in his favor. “It went from everything dropping to blowing through the roof,” Trevor said of his audition experience. As for inspiration, there’s his 5-month-old daugther. “She’s my world. I want to show her if you have a dream, you should chase it, no matter how hard it may seems or how out of reach you think it might be.” And though he’s a self-described “country boy,” Trevor says he can sing anything from Hank Williams Jr. to Adele.

No video located.

Tyler Jacobson

Tyler is from Nashville, Tenn., and one of a pair of friends who turned out for the Idol bus tour and wound up with a ticket to Hollywood. The other half of the friendship is Paul Jolley, who was featured on the Baton Rouge audition show. For musical inspiration … well, he says he looks up to both Mariah and Nicki for their creativity. But when he performs, he says he’s his own man. “I’m not trying to be anybody when I sing. I’m Tyler.” He also writes music. His favorite past Idol contestants are Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson.

“I’m in Love Again”
Hear more from Tyler here.