American Idol Season 22’s Emotional First Audition Revealed As Katy Perry Breaks Down Crying

The very first full audition for American Idol season 22 has been released, and a heartwarming moment with a contestant causes Katy Perry to get emotional. Katy, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan have been judges on American Idol since the hit singing competition series was revived by ABC in 2018. A new year brings yet another new season of Idol, and now the judges are ready to begin their search all over again for a new champion. Out of all the contestants that Katy, Lionel and Luke have seen perform over the past six years, the biggest star has been American Idol season 16 second runner-up Gabby Barett, who is about to release her second album.

With less than three weeks to go until American Idol season 22 premieres, ABC has released a sneak peek video showcasing a contestant’s full audition. By the end, Katy is left in tears.

McKenna Breinholt walks into the American Idol audition room and opens up about being adopted. When she turned 21, she wanted her parents to tell her about her birth mother. She eventually was able to contact her entire birth family and has FaceTimed them. Unfortunately, her birth mother died and McKenna never got the chance to meet her.

What To Expect From American Idol Season 22

After McKenna’s performance, the judges ask if she wants to bring her family in when they vote. What she doesn’t know is that on the other side of the door is none other than her birth family, who shows up to surprise her. She immediately starts crying when she realizes who’s there. The judges have no idea what’s going on at first. “What happened here?” Lionel mutters under his breath. After the whole family piles into the room, Katy scrunches up her face and her eyes well up with tears.

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As for the actual audition performance, McKenna sings Zach Williams and Dolly Parton’s “There Was Jesus.” She sits at the piano and plays while singing a captivating rendition of the song. Her voice is rich and has so much depth to it. Katy, Lionel and Luke applaud the performance when it’s over. Katy loves how raspy McKenna’s voice is. Luke notes that she has a lot of control over her voice. Lionel is anxious to see how she does going forward. While the preview video ends before the judges give their approval or rejection, it’s clear that she will be grabbing a ticket and heading to Hollywood.

The contestants’ talent should always be at the forefront of any decision on American Idol, but there are always touching stories that cause a lot of emotion. Fortunately, McKenna already has a fantastic voice and she would absolutely be advancing to the next round even if she didn’t have this beautiful backstory to share. If this is merely the first look at American Idol season 22, fans should expect plenty of tears, smiles and hugs all around as a new group of contestants introduces themselves to America. Hopefully, the singing will live up to what the judges are used to. If McKenna’s audition is any indication, then fans are in for a magical and talented ride in 2024.

Source: American Idol/YouTube

American Idol

American Idol is a reality singing competition that adds to the international “Idol” brand, conceived initially in the U.K. as Pop Idol. Holding massive auditions across the U.S., American Idol invited several contestants to perform in front of a panel of judges that would determine whether or not they’d go on to future rounds for a chance at competing in the fully televised premiere of the show. Contestants are voted off each week by American participation via voting through various mediums, and the winner of the competition would be given a contract with a record label to secure a future as America’s next musical idol.