Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Paul Jolley appeared on our TV screens from the Baton Rouge auditions after American Idol had featured a string of contestants who weren’t exactly Hollywood ready.

He turned that trend on its head in a big way, turning in one of the best auditions we’ve heard from a male singer in Season 12.

The 22-year-old from Palmersville, Tenn., performed Rascal Flatts’ “I Won’t Let Go.”

Nicki Minaj said she liked Paul’s vibe and his voice. Keith praised the “honesty” in his tone.

I’ll post a full bio blog on Paul and other featured American Idol contestants at a later date. Meanwhile, here are three videos of Paul performing.

For more music from the other Hollywood-bound contestants on American Idol, head here.

“Love Don’t Live Here”

“Blown Away”

“Tonight I Wanna Cry”