On The Red Carpet has an exclusive clip to share from an upcoming episode, featuring 15-year-old Abayomi Lewis. The Haitian singer and poet is a young performer with an old soul from the Bay Area. Lewis attributes her success to her mother, who signed her up for a poetry competition in ninth grade, and the powerful women in her family. 'My grandmother has always been telling me ever since I was little, 'I have to see you on that TV,' Lewis explains.
I remember adults coming up to me and saying, 'Ohhh, Medeiros! Like Glenn Medeiros, the guy who sang that love song!' And then they start singing it in front of me," Lyric tells TODAY.com. "Older women would come up to me and say, 'Oh, he was a heartthrob!'
I think if he'd walked in and sang that version, I'm not gonna lie, I would've gone, 'Forget it.' Seriously. Because I didn't even know he wrote the song, when I heard his version, I was like, 'Whoa.' I just don't think that would have been a great audition.
Season nine auditions kick off August 26, with the return of "Idol Across America," the first step for those auditioning to showcase their talents face-to-face with an "American Idol" producer. "Idol Across America" auditions will be held as follows (subject to change): "First 900" VIP Event (Aug. 26)Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi (Aug. 27)Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas (Aug. 28)Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina (Sept. 2)Nationwide open call (Sept. 3)