Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Kimmy Gabriela, 17, of Lakeland, Fla., reacts to the judges telling her she had Top 10 potential on American Idol (ABC Photo)

And her American Idol Season 18 audition ended with Kimmy being labeled Top 10 material by the show’s superstar judges.

That happened after Kimmy impressed the judges with a performance of One Republic’s “Let’s Hurt Tonight.”

And after she showed off her bilingual skills by singing a snippet of a second song in Spanish.

Here’s what the 17-year-old from Lakeland, Florida, told Idol Chatter about her American Idol audition experience.

Idol Chatter: How did you wind up auditioning for American Idol Season 18 (Season 3 on ABC) and what prompted you to do it this year?

Kimmy: One of Idols talent scouts found me on Instagram and asked if I wanted to audition, and I said, “Heck, yes, of course!!” I actually loved watching the show last season, and having the opportunity to perform for 3 judges that I have listened to and looked up to my whole life was a blessing in and of itself anything that would have come after that would be icing on the cake!

Idol Chatter: Why did you choose “Let’s Hurt Tonight” by One Republic for your audition song? What’s your performance history with that song (for instance, is it one you’ve performed often)?

Kimmy: One Republic has been one of my favorite bands since forever! I was going through my playlist to see what I could potentially sing and when I heard “Let’s Hurt Tonight” start playing, I had the idea of singing an acoustic version of the song. When I tried it out it just felt right it felt like the right song for me; I’m really happy I sang that song because it ended up being a very special moment.

Idol Chatter: What was that audition process like? You really didn’t come across as nervous as all on TV. And you got fabulous feedback from the judges, including being told you have Top 10 potential.

Kimmy: I was unbelievably nervous for the entire day, but thankfully I have experience competing and being in front of judges in a theater setting and so I just didn’t let myself think too much of it. I sang with my heart and hoped for the best! I’m so grateful the judges have given me a chance to make something of myself and that they believe in me! I hope that I can live up to their expectations but most importantly, I just want to take the most out of this experience!

Idol Chatter: What’s the biggest performance you’d done prior to your Idol audition? Did you do anything special to prepare for your audition?

Kimmy: I never really sang for large crowds as much when I was younger. I just sang around school and churches, once in a while in competitions, but they weren’t large-scale productions. Recently, I have been singing the national anthem at the Hispanic festival back in my hometown in Lakeland, Florida, and I guess that’s what I would consider that one of my larger performances prior to Idol! ·

Idol Chatter: And do you think being bilingual will help you on the show? The judges seemed impressed to discover that. Do you sing/perform much in Spanish?

Kimmy: I’m hoping that it will give me an edge but most importantly I just want to be able to represent both cultures! I want to be able to cater to both my American audience and my Hispanic audience and if it helps me stand out in the competition and then yay! That’s just a bonus!

Editor’s Note: American Idol will air a final audition episode Sunday night at 8 p.m. on ABC. Then, on Monday, it’s off to Hollywood for all the show’s golden ticket recipients.