On Sunday night’s episode of “American Idol,” a New Jersey teen impressed judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie with his unique voice and “fearless” lyrics.
When Montclair resident Conall Gorman, 19, stepped into the room for his audition, the first thing that caught Bryan’s eye was his “vintage-looking” guitar.
“It’s my life savings right here,” Gorman said to the trio before performing an original song that he wrote called “Backseat.”
“You started really strong,” Bryan said as soon as the performance ended. “The first note, I think we were pulled into the Conall vortex.”
Perry told Gorman was “on the road to being a pro,” though she stated she was looking for a little more from him.
“I think you’ve got a real interesting voice,” Perry said. “It’s definitely identifiable. It’s definitely Conall. But I’m just looking for a little bit more in the gears.”
He seemed to impress Richie the most, who said he liked Gorman’s tone of his voice and his demeanor.
“Take your time,” Richie said. “Be you and I think you’ll have a wonderful experience.”
On his notes, Richie said he wrote down three words: “19. Fearless. Talented.” getting an automatic “yes” from him. Ultimately, Gorman received a “yes” from Perry and Bryan advancing him to Hollywood.
“Idol” will air one more week of auditions Sunday, March 24, before beginning Hollywood week, where Gorman and fellow Jersey singer Hailey Mia, from Clifton, will compete for a spot in the Top 24.
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Saleah Blancaflor may be reached at sblancaflor@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at @saleyley and Instagram.