Idol Chatter & Voice Views

A pair of female singers stole the show on American Idol’s Season 17 premiere.

That would be Johanna Jones and Laci Kaye Booth. And here’s the best part; they’ve both already released EPs you can stream or download to get a better sense of just how talented they are.

Here’s a recap of Sunday’s show, complete with videos. Follow the links will take you to a profile of those singers.

Walker Burroughs, 20, Birmingham, Ala.: He praised his parents for their support of his music. They accompanied him to the auditions and he said he’d be more terrified to audition without them there. He’s a sophomore at Belmont University. He sang “Love Like This” by Ben Rector. And as the first artist we met, he provided a nice kickoff to Season 17. Katy calls him Billy Joel-like and considers him Top 10 material. She also compliments his super pro vibe. He also sang a snippet of a Lionel Richie song, “Hello.”

Johanna Jones, 23, Las Vegas: Idol is visiting Idaho for the first time, so it’s only natural they found a fan of potato chips. She swears she eats them before singing. So she and Katy engage in a potato chip eating contest. Johanna also fries burgers at an In and Out. Once the chip eating nonsense ended, she sang “I’m Not the Only One” by Sam Smith. She shows off a very nice tone for someone who just inhaled a bag of chips. And delivered a really nice ending. Lionel Richie calls her mesmerizing. She’s off to Hollywood. But, look, folks, Johanna not the vocal novice Idol made her sound like.

Kai the Singer, 19, South Carolina: She says she grew up in and out of shelters and hotels and the family lived in their car at one point. Things are still rough; their are eight family members living together. She auditioned with Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud.” The judges asked for a second song and she headed to the piano to sing “My Girl,” except she substituted “music” for “My Girl.” The judges liked that much better. And Kai is off to Hollywood.

Tyler Mitchell, 26, Louisiana: He said he’s never done anything like Idol before. He said he’s not used to cameras and lights and action. But his family tells him he has a God-given talent he needs to use. He sang “Whenever You Come Around” by Vince Gill. He has a nice country tone. Tyler says he doesn’t perform much because he works in the oil business and is afraid of messing up on stage. He’s bound for Hollywood.

Vokillz, Buffalo, N.Y.: He swears he’s not a serial killer in spite of his appearance. He also claims to have created a new genre: mystic death trap metal. He auditioned with a song called “American Creature.” Katy and Lionel hide behind the judges’ table. Katy calls him “very different.” He failed in his quest for a golden ticket.

Margie Mays, 25, Wilmington, Del.: She burps when she gets nervous, so she’s burping a lot at her audition. She comes from a family of doctors, not musicians. She’s a dog walker. Margie sang “Do I Have a Shot,” I think. Apparently, the judges are fans of Margie’s antics. Well, at least Katy and Luke, who give her the yes votes she needs to make it to Hollywood. Katy calls her “the greatest person I’ve ever met” and swears she’s going “to make Lionel love me.”

Myra Trans, 19, Vietnam: She moved to the U.S. to follow her dream of becoming a singer. She’s been a big fan of Whitney Houston, sing first hearing her music at age 6. She auditioned with “One Night Only” by Jennifer Hudson. For such a small girl, she has a big voice. Katy’s amazed to find out she’s in a high school choir. “You are the choir,” Lionel said. Luke compared her to Kelly Clarkson. And Myra, who’s only been in the U.S. for a year, is overcome with tears when she receives the golden ticket.

Uche, 24, Sugarland, Texas: He grew up in the church and says he’s the kind of performer who you watch until he’s done performing. He performed “Ain’t No Man” by Christina Aguilera. He’s clearly a dancer too. Katy challenges him to stand still and sing after a rather chaotic audition. He performs a gospel song and impresses her. Lionel votes no, but changes his mind when he says he admires Prince, James Brown and other famous singer-performers. Katy gives him a yes, saying she thinks he’d be “saucy” to have in Hollywood. Luke voted yes to.

Laci Kaye Booth, 23, Livingston, Texas: She’s a country singer who says she started singing around 3 and grew up on Shania Twain and The Dixie Chicks. Her parents were teens when they had Laci; they eventually separated. Laci’s dad was also a singer. Now she’s following in his footsteps. She auditioned with “Mama Tried” by Merle Haggard. Really liked this young lady’s voice. Katy calls Laci the first voice we’ve heard “that’s really a diamond in the rough.” She’s Hollywood bound.

Tiffany LeMay, 20, Las Vegas: She’s a big Lionel Richie fan. Her mom introduced her to his music. She arrives with one of his old albums, which he’s more than happy to sign. Tiffany sings “The Best Part.” Lionel said he loved her style. Katy loves her sunny disposition. She’s a unanimous yes to Hollywood.

Nick Townsend, Los Angeles: He says he tried out for Idol for his brothers. Both his older brother Zach and his younger brother Matt committed suicide. “There are times I wanted to give up (music),” Nick said, but adds that he knows his brothers would want him to keep pursuing his dream. He sang “Let It Go” by James Bay. He started shaky, but found his footing on the chorus. And Nick got a unanimous yes to advance to Hollywood.