Most of the people I met at the Season 10 American Idol audition in Nashville TN were like me and had never been to an audition before. We were all unsure exactly what to expect. So for those of you interested in how the auditions work, this one’s for you.
First, please understand what I learned about American Idol. It is not a singing contest–it is a reality tv show. Talent and look are only 10%. The other 90% that you can’t control is what Fox has in store for the show that season. No matter how amazing you might or might not be, if you’re not what they are looking for–you’re out. Go for the audition itself and a shot at being on tv… not to become the next American Idol. Simply have fun with the whole experience.
I remember as I was leaving–tired, starving, and cranky–I say, “Why did half these parents waste their time bringing their kids down here?” Immediately I wanted to take back what I had already vocalized.
It’s not about winning the show, it’s about hope. It’s about working hard to get somewhere–and then singing in front of 16,000 people who support you because they are you. It was us against American Idol and we wanted to win.
Where else will one young lady that auditioned find thousands of her competitors giving her a standing ovation after she sang? On tv the winners are the star. But at the audition–everyone is. And I enjoyed meeting every one of you. I’m fueled by the dreams in your eyes. It was like I was Popeye and your passion to win was my spinach.
Three days of build up, long lines, and spending money in Nashville led to my 30 seconds of fame–15 seconds, if it were up to the judges. Despite their “okay, thank you” halfway through–I continued to the end of the chorus on top of my lungs.
As I told the cameraman filming the non-winner exodus, “I sang my heart out. See you next year American Idol for Season 11.”
Below is a true account of our American Idol audition process…
I get to Jennifer’s house at 11pm on Wednesday night. We had to be in line by 7am the following morning to register for the auditions.
11:30pm – “Are you ready to go? Jennifer?”
“Yeah almost. We have to swing by Neile’s house so I can borrow her hair dryer. Mine’s on the fritz.”
I can’t argue with that–she’s got to have nice hair for the audition. I double agree now that I’ve seen Morning Jennifer.
But it was a trick–Neile wanted to surprise me and come to Nashville with us.
We arrived in downtown Nashville TN at 3:30am Central time–at the intersection of Gay St and Church St.
Which way did we go? A decision we faced like a homosexual kid in a Christian family… we went straight.
I parked at the Hilton garage right next door to the Bridgestone Arena(-$14). I thought we were going to arrive much later, but with the time change, it was only 4am.
We were ushered into a 15 foot fenced in section upon arrival. They would fit about 100-200 people in a section, then fence it off and start a new one. Already it was a community effort.
Audition Line at 4am
A member of the staff through a megaphone tells us all, “Please find a seat and get comfortable. Do not stand. You are going to be here for hours. Find a spot where you can sit or stretch out.”
Most people didn’t listen, but Team Adventure needed sleep. I immediately passed out on my bookbag, Neile to my left, and a little girl to my right–who when I woke up asked, “Did you have a nice sleep?”
Sleeping Beauties
Team Adventure
In the next hour we watched thousands more pile in.
Line at 7am--a small part of it.
At 7am the line starts moving into the Arena, one section at a time. We were headed to get wristbands and tickets to the audition.
3 Important Things To Remember to Bring With You To An American Idol Audition:
1. Two forms of ID (drivers license, passport, social security card, birth certificate).
2. A release form that you can print from their website which includes a parental consent form if you are under 18.
3. Snacks and water. You will be waiting for hours on two different days where vendors will try and sell you $7 bottles of water.
I get to the inside of the arena at 8am. A few minutes later I reach the front of the line and a staff member checks my drivers license and passport, looks at but doesn’t take my release form, gives me a ticket, and puts a wristband on my arm.
The gentleman says “Be sure to keep that wristband dry. You need that, this ticket, and your release form to get in on Saturday.”
I turn around to the 2,000 people behind me, holding up my wristband, and scream, “I’m going to Hollywood!” and the crowd goes wild.
I cannot figure out why American Idol would give me such a ridiculously paper thin wristband and say “Keep this dry” in 110 degree heat index weather. I wanted to visit Nashville Shores, a water park, on Friday but could not risk losing the wristband.
I held fundraiser parties during college for my fraternity in which I sprung for the slightly more expensive plastic wristbands. FOX couldn’t give me a plastic wristband too?
So now it was 8:30am on Thursday morning–we were registered for the audition–and had two days in Nashville to entertain ourselves.
3 Ways to Make The American Idol Audition An Affordable Trip:
1. Become a member of CouchSurfing.com–make a profile–get verified–and e-mail people a couple weeks in advance who live in or near the city that the auditions are behind held.
2. Bring plenty of bottle waters or you’ll be caught outside in the heat spending money all day on drinks.
3. Bring a bathing suit, plastic wrap, and duct tape. That way you can duct tape plastic wrap around your wristband and spend your two days swimming at a hotel you didn’t stay at. Like the Hilton. That’s free.
Let’s skip ahead to Saturday morning…
We arrived at the Bridgestone Arena again at 5am. This time both sets of people from Thursday and Friday’s registration were there in fenced in sections. I took this time to meet and photograph myself with as many future American Idols as I could. Everyone I met was wonderful and excited to take a picture with me.
This is the beautiful Katie Pursley from Georgia who I met and later watched sing Pants on the Ground for a cameraman.
Katie Pursley, Mom, and Adventure Paul
Here is Courtney Moore from Kentucky with her friends and family.
Mom, Courtney, Friend, Adventure Paul
It took two hours to fill everyone into the arena–divided into sections based on our ticket number.
Contestants filled the inside of Bridgestone Arena
I took this time to travel around and meet more folks who were going to audition.
Grace - Potentially the Next American Idol
Now it was time to begin. I head back to the stadium and find my seat with Neile and Jennifer. The first hour is spent with a host and cameraman filming the stadium of screaming fans saying “Welcome to Nashville”/”American Idol in Nashville”/”Welcome to Nashville the music city”–this in about 20 different ways until they were satisfied with the timing.
It was cool when they turned all the lights off and replicated The Camera Flash Experiment. I filmed a few seconds in the video below–although it looked much better in person or on their HD cameras.
Then the waiting began. We were in the fourth section and it took 5 hours before we were called. I napped in between Neile and this man who did not get up once. He was there supporting his son to his left who auditioned.
We were sitting by the door where the “non-winners” walked out. The man laughed as I said “There’s my baby” about every pretty girl who walked past. After I got rejected and walked out, Neile told me that he looked at her and said, “There goes my baby”.
People I Sat Next To
The first audition process
In the center of the stadium are 12 judges tables separated by thin curtains. Once our stadium section was called, we moved to the center where we divided into 12 lines. Then, like a roller coaster, four at a time from each line are taken to the judges line.
This is where the strangers I was with started freaking out and getting nervous. I tried to keep them energized and feeling good while we waited the last few minutes. I tried my famous line “Remember, fear and excitement feel the exact same way in your stomach. You’re not nervous–just excited. You’re going to do great!” However, come that point, there was not much I could say or do to ease these kids nerves. I call them “kids” because at 25 years old–I was a veteran.
What did Adventure Paul sing at American Idol?
I had one goal in mind with this trip–to be told NO–only I wanted to be told NO on camera by Ellen and Randy, not in front of three no-name entry level judges who are loosely affiliated with the show. Everyone got to be a judge in this first round–light guys, assistant to the assistant producers, a girl from the vending station.
I sang “Unbreak My Heart” by Toni Braxton–featured below in this video if you’ve never heard it.
I was the last person in our group to sing. Next the judges say in an ultra-melodramatic tone, “Step forward.” Even this part feels like a reality show. I’m waiting for someone to hand me a rose. “You will not be advancing to American Idol,” the woman judge says, “Thank you for coming.”
And just like that the audition was over.
What happened to Jennifer?
Alright, alright–I know everyone cares more about what happened with Jennifer’s audition than mine so here goes…
Jennifer was asked to sing 3 times by the judges at her table. I was at #6 and I believe she was at table #2. First she sang “Till I can make it on my own” which Sandy had worked with her on. Then they asked for one more. Then the male judge said, “Can you sing something pop?”
Jennifer’s an opera, classical, musical singer–not a pop singer. The closest thing she had on the back burner was a song by Paramore. After the rejection–the judge looks her in the eyes and said, “More pop.”
Are you glad you went?
Absolutely I am happy we auditioned. Unfortunately it’s hit or miss. Had I have gone to table #2 and Jennifer sang in front of table #6 instead–perhaps one of the judges had grown up loving Tammy Wynette and loved her performance. And perhaps the people at table #2 would have thought I was terrifically horrible enough to be funny for tv.
What happens if you make it past that first audition?
The people who advanced to the next round were given golden tickets like Willy Wanka (only they did not come with a chocolate bar). Those people (less than 100 out of 16,000) go into a separate area where they audition in front of the shows producers.
FINALLY–if the producers think that you have what it takes to be on tv–you are invited to audition in front of the celebrity judges. This is a shock to many people who watch the show who think that EVERYONE auditions in front of the tv judges. That is how the show makes it appear.
All the crazy weirdo’s that make it on tv and get laughed off and rejected have actually been through two audition processes at this point. I was competing against the NO’s–not the good singers.
Should I go to the next audition?
Absolutely you should tryout for the next American Idol Auditions. Have fun with it.
If you have any questions about our weekend that I didn’t answer in this article–please leave a comment below and I’ll get back to you.
Good luck everyone.
Love,
PAUL
From what I have heard, that last round with the judges does not take place until the fall. Only about 50-70 people will be in that round from there. There was (based on other peoples' observations) a second round backstage.
I have heard mixed numbers on the total of those who made it out of the cattle call, some have said as high as about 250-300. Of those, the majority were cut backstage.
Thanks Craig–I had not heard that. I ran into a fella afterwards who I thought had gotten a gold card and he was already out. Eliminated backstage. Did you get any good pics or video? Post them here or send them my way.
i wish you went to american idol auditions every weekend so i could read more blog posts like this one. p.s. take me with you when you go zip-lining.
How about we do something awesome in VA?
I think the friend in the picture entitled, “Mom, Courtney, Friend, Adventure Paul”
is really Pedro from Napolean Dynamite. Did you pay him for protection?
i have made it past the first round. and it bothers me because people talk bad about the show. its rigged, its not a singing competition blah blah blah. for the first cattle call audition it’s about good tv so give them good tv. there are over 15,000 people auditioning with you doesn’t it make sense to throw every ounce of personality you’ve got? (without being insane of course). i always talk to the judges when i audition, it makes me feel more comfortable and allows me to show my quirky side. if people made it past the first round they would be so excited about it instead of bad mouthing it. American Idol IS a singing competition…eventually. you have to know how to play the game in order to get picked. anyone person can get picked if you stand out so…STAND OUT 😀
Thanks for your comment. I like that you see both sides and can say “American Idol IS a singing competition…eventually.” I feel you described the first audition accurately as “cattle call”. When did you audition? Do you have any photos I could post from when you made it past the first round? What happened back there?
I auditioned 7 times. This last time was in San Francisco and that’s where i made it.You go to the back of the stadium and fill out paperwork and they have a meeting saying you can’t disclose any information about any of the upcoming rounds. Which makes sense. I don’t have any pictures :/ but let me know if you have any questions 😀
That must be hard for people to audition back there and then go home and can’t tell their friends / family about it until the show airs. I live in L.A. now and will probably audition again this summer somewhere in California… this year with a whole new look.. something so I can “STAND OUT” 🙂 — Maybe I’ll see you there.
sweet! what are you planning on singing? also a suggestion to better your chances, register as EARLY as you possibly can. I have found in the past when I have auditioned that when I register later the judges are tired, hungry, annoyed etc. and after a while everyone starts to sound the same. You have no idea how many times I heard the song “Fallin”, “The Climb” and “Waiting On The World To Change”. coming from experience ALWAYS try to be the first 50-100 people. The judge are excited to see new talent and they are not annoyed. Be charismatic and SMILE SMILE SMILE! seriously! hope i helped 🙂
For second round audition did you receive a call or an email? cause my son hasn’t receive any info? And we need to make travel arrangements…
Hey Paul, I just read your blog, and so glad I found you… Thanks for letting those who want to audition for American Idol, How the process works.. I love the photos too… I am a mother, who’s son can sing,,, We went to America’s Got Talent, and the mothers of the teenager’s cried over my son’s voice,,, The producers were smiling, but then my son forgot a verse,,, and you know, what they said… Yep ur right,,, He was only 13 at the time……… He is now 15, and I need the release forms for season 11,,,,,, I don’t know where too find them on American Idol’s website………
Hey Teresa,
I love America’s Got Talent–much more interesting show to watch than AI. I’d love to go with you all next time the auditions happen.
I don’t believe that American Idol has published the release form for Season 11 yet. They haven’t posted the audition cities on the website yet (http://americanidol.com) but when they do, they will also include a link to the release form. About a million other people will be looking to download/print that as well so they will make it easy to find again.
I added you on FB–thanks for reading.
~AP
When will American Idol Season 11 Release Forms be availble online to print? Everytime I try, it doesn’t let me access the page to print it..
American Idol won’t release those forms until right before the auditions start. Subscribe to their blog and they will keep you up to date. Otherwise just keep checking back!
Super glad I found this…I’ve been trying to find out more about the process in order to make arrangements work-wise since I work two jobs and am always super busy…Do they always register two days before? I already took off the day of auditions, but I may have to make arrangements for the registration days. I only live about an hour to an hour and a half from Houston though, the last audition city 😀
Judy.. It’s best to arrive 2 days before the auditions because the earlier you get your wristband, the earlier you get to audition which saves a lot of time in total. I do believe, however, that they are able to accommodate and audition everyone who gets a wristband. Good luck!
Hi! I know the Season 11 Release form is not out yet, but I have a question… A friend of mine told me that when she auditioned for AI (I think it was in 2006) that she had to sign something saying that she was under contract with American Idol for 5 years from her audition date, and that no one else could sign her within those 5 years, whether she made it to subsequent rounds or not. Did you have to sign anything like that?
Jaybird, I don’t remember signing anything like that, but who knows with FOX what we’re getting ourselves into. Perhaps American Idol is going to come back to me in a few years and say “Hey Adventure Paul.. we own the rights to you because you auditioned for AI back in 2010” haha but hopefully not.
Once they release that form, you can read it over in detail, but I don’t recall anything like that. I think people would be upset about that given the amount of rising stars that audition each year.
Hiya. Thank GOD I found this blog. So imma audition in saint louis and it’s abot two weeks away… Were are the forms for goodness sake?! And I’m 14 right now, and I will be the day of the audition. But I’ll be fifteen by the time the show starts on television. Will I still be able to audition? My birthday is nov 22 1996 if that helps any. Thanks!!!
Hey Jazzystar!
Truthfully, I’m not sure about the age thing. BUT, the forms will be released right before the first set of auditions. That will definitely have the answer, but unfortunately it’s unavailable to us all at the moment.
I’ve gotten a lot of questions regarding the forms, so trust that AI wants you to audition and will release the form to the general public with enough time to spare!
Good luck!
I would like to sighn my 15year old son he has a amazing voice
Oh, and I’d everyone at least given a chance to audition in front of the judges from the first round? No one is turned away without being heard at all right?
And yes.. everyone who gets a wristband is able to audition. If they give you a band, you’re guaranteed to be heard on audition days.
Paul, this may be a crazy question, but if I had to, could I bring my kid? Were there any there when you were auditioning? Also, what if you have someone coming that isn’t auditioning, are they allowed to hang in the arena without a wristband? BTW, thanks for the info!
You can bring your kid.. I remember kids there. Infact, I remember waking up from a nap on the street to this little girl staring at me right next to my face. She said “Did you have a nice sleep?”
My friend, Neile, didn’t audition but was part of the whole process start to finish with us, including waiting in the big arena… even though she didn’t have a wristband.
Good luck!
AP
We enjoyed reading this 😀
For registration day, how early should I go if the line opens at 7?
Between 2-3am to be super-safe. What’s an extra hour at the beginning? Good luck.
I’m auditioning in Chicago tomorrow but I live in Woodstock so I’m just going to take the train I’ve completed every single step and the paperwork and registration and everything but they dont give you a time to be there. It’s kind of frustrating so I dont know what time to leave. I auditioned back in 2012 and I got there at 6am but I was outside for a long time. I feel like thats too early because I live so close. I need advice! Help! And also, it says to bring your forms, the ticket and your ID. I never brought my social and I was fine… I’m confused and need answers ! ?
so im 13 can i audition next season or next year and do they give places to sleep and do they pay 4 ur trip to go to these places?
I think 13 is too young.. I believe the age minimum is 15 now. I believe they pay for the trips past the initial audition if you win.
hey so is it ok to have social security and id and not a birth certificate
Adventure Paul, Thanks a ton for the info. I’ve read your story as well as all of the questions and answers posted here. So it really is a hit or miss. I kinda have to hit, so when you say “stand out”, how much more specific can you be? I know for sure my voice is where it needs to be, but I would hate to be rejected from the first round simply because the judge has already admitted someone wearing my same tie, ya know.
Bring a few ties Tyshaun! But really—don’t go too crazy, just don’t dress plainly. You see in those photos I dressed super boring, thinking my Adventure Paul shirt was going to get me on tv. Instead they probably thought “don’t show that self-promoter!”
this was a great blog! im 16, soon to be 17, and want to audition this summer. im just afraid ill be rejected straight out though, and because i live in rhode island (in other words, no where at all near the audition cities evey year), im afraid we will spend all of this money just to get rejected after 15 seconds of my singing. do you think its still worth it to go?
Star.. I really enjoyed the experience. Bring some good friends with you who have fun doing anything to go through the process with you and you’ll definitely be glad you went. Plus who knows?.. you might be the next American Idol!
Thanks Adventure Paul, your account of the proceedings was just what I wanted to know. I think you did great explaining the process and I loved the way you interacted with the other contestants while waiting around. Peace, Larry
Thanks for reading Larry! Are you going to audition sometime?
SO glad i found this, i thought it was incredibly helpful! Thanks especially for the advice on needing to stand out, and not jut blend it. im hoping to go to the season 12 auditions just for the experience!
Thanks Ashley–glad the article was helpful. Good luck at the auditions!
It was super helpful, and thanks! I have a quick question if its not too much trouble. You said that they aren’t just looking for the voice, you have to kind of have “it” and that you should just totally go for it. Well do the first round of judges/producers give you a chance to talk for a bit or introduce yourself so you can show them who you are?
You get barely a minute with the 1st round judges.. enough time to say “Hi I’m Adventure Paul from Asheville NC and I’m going to be the next American Idol! For my audition, I’ll be singing Unbreak my Heart by Toni Braxton!…” then you start singing.
Best to display your “it” factor visually through the way you dress and look—then if you can sing, they’ll give you a chance at the next round and possibly ask you to sing again or let you move on. But being Plain Jane doesn’t help anyone.
alright, thank you very much! super helpful information!
So all other people auditioning hear your audition?
Yes and No.
Yes because you’re in front of 16,000 other people in a stadium or auditorium.
No, because imagine how much noise there is in that place! Can you hear Kobe talk at a Lakers game? Probably not. I only remember being able to hear one girl sing because she had such a powerful voice. You’d have to have one heck of a loud singing voice to be heard by everyone.
Hope that answers your question.
AP
Do you have to be a American citisen, geez cant spell the word. born in America. I have a talented friend from northern Italy.
From the American Idol Rules: “You are a legal U.S. citizen or a permanent U.S. resident who is eligible to work full-time in the United
States;” – Hope that helps!
Can two people audition together??? I havent read anything about that?
I do not recall seeing any two people auditioning together.. as far as I know, everyone auditions separate. Every person I saw auditioning was individual. You could go there and attempt to do so, but I’d have a backup solo plan. The final line gets filtered and separated several times before reaching the judges. (ie: big section gets divided into smaller groups and finally into tables of judges)
Hi Adventure Paul! I’m secretly planning to audition for American Idol for Season 12. Can you spare tips so that as early as now I would be able to decide to go for it or not. I’m more of a coffeehouse singer/songwriter type of guy and I don’t know if I’ll stand out or just waste my time. After reading what you’ve been through, I got really scared of auditioning, especially if all that trouble could mean an astounding amount of disappointment in the end.
By the way, can you add me on Facebook and/or follow me on Twitter? I’d really like to get tips and advice from you.
http://www.facebook.com/andrew.gahol,
https://twitter.com/Andrew_Gahol
One more thing, what can you say is the type of music or genre that will most likely get me to the succeeding rounds? Is there a trend over at the auditions musically that will boost my chances of making it through? Also, I cannot act quirky or insane during my auditions. It isn’t me and it wouldn’t feel right. You think I should still pursue it?
Andrew..
Thanks for reading. Here’s some things to consider:
-Be yourself… just be the best version of yourself that you an be! Just remember that this is entertainment. A comedian doesn’t get on stage and act like himself. A rapper doesn’t just write lyrics about his own life. If quirky isn’t you, then that’s fine. Just don’t be average… be the extreme of whatever you want to be that day.
-Should you still pursue it? I’ve heard the expression recently… “Travel is the only thing you can buy that makes you richer.” I think this says a lot. Experiences aren’t always about winning, but the road you take. So yes, of course you should still do it. My audition was years ago and I lost, but the experience has made me many new friends since then and lots of amazing stories to tell. That’s worth it to me.
-I am not sure about the type of music. Best advice came from judges regarding Jennifer.. come prepared with a few different genres of music ready to go. Especially “Pop” or some recent music. Classics are always great…. I would recommend nothing too secular so that your prepared songs appear to a wide range of folks because you never know who your first few rounds of judges will be.
-Everyone’s scared, so you’re not alone. Brave people power through it. So shut-up and go audition before you talk yourself out of it!
Best of luck Andrew! Let me know how it goes.
AP
Thanks for the info Paul!! I Am almost 17 and I love to sing. I would love to start singing as a career. Do you think there would be much hope in the auditions for a small town scrawny boy in the middle of Illinios? If I had 3 minutes with the judges I could show them a powerful voice(I do amazing with skyscraper). But since you get only one minute what kind of genre and songs would you recommend(I am good at pop) sorry if this comment seems weird. I just have a billion questions and I really want to sing.
@52dd85e8e05a5dfe4ce586ab0c820521:disqus .. Thanks for reading. I hope you do great at the audition!
As I mentioned to some of the other folks who ask about genre… have a few different songs from different genres ready to go. You never know who the initial round of judges will be and what their preferences are, so it’s good to be prepared. Yes, you’re right, you definitely don’t get 3 minutes, so don’t start at the beginning of a song… start right in the middle (maybe the chorus) at a part you know will wow them. Good luck
So is music really music anymore? I mean you’re saying it’s 90% bullshit to sell not music to sing…is that even if you release a song and stuff as well on your own? I plan on trying out for The Voice but the fact that everyone is saying that ‘music’s not music anymore’ is really starting to worry me.
adventure paul it’s not just american idol that does that so does the voice and the x factor. I have been to those auditions & plan to audition for season 12 of american idol but I couldn’t agree more with what you said about it being what the producers want for the show. I heard that for the american idol & x factor shows they want someone with a good life story full of struggles. I personally don’t have to make one up because I have one but a woman who I met said they passed her through a few rounds & then before she was supposed to audition before the judges the producers asked for her story & they turned her down because it wasn’t juicy enough for them. She said they told her sad life stories is what makes the public watch.
Thanks for reading Khyrsten… Can we blame the producers for their line of thinking? It’s true that we all love to see success stories of people who went through a personal struggle. Makes for good TV. Good luck at your audition and tell me how it went!
Hey Paul! n__n My name is Sydney and i happen to have five questions about the auditioning process…
Uno. Do you sing infront of the rest of the crowd? The 16,000 people who are also wanting to audition? Or do they take four, put them in a room, and listen to them sing?
Dos. If you want to bring friends and are under 18 they said you could only bring one person.. but i see many times on shows that some fourteen year old will carry along her friends.. is this even possible? Do you have to shovel them overboard when you get to the front of the line?
Tres. If you get the golden ticket do you go straight to the auditioning with the ‘big guys’ ? Quatorze. Can the song be of your choice, or do you have to pick from a list that they give you in advance?
Cinco. So you say register early.. top 100? So should you actually came out and then get your ticket on the first day?
Thanks for you blog man. Super sweet undercover stuff.
Hi Sydney, thanks for reading. I don’t know all the answers to your questions, but here goes..
1. Yes, you sing (first round) in front of all 16,000 people in the center of the stadium. Remember though, unless you have a HUGE voice, people in the audience won’t be able to hear you because you have no microphone and there is a lot of other noise.
2. I’m not sure about how many friends you can bring and what age they have to be. This changes year to year so you might just want to check the Official Rules at the American Idol website. It’s not that heavily “guarded” of an event so truthfully you can probably get away with anything if you don’t make a big scene and float under the radar (until the actual audition.. then you should shine!). Once you get called (by stadium section) your friends who are not auditioning get left behind. Only people who audition can walk onto the stadium floor.
3. Once you get the golden ticket, you move onto the second round of auditions, but this isn’t necessarily in front of the TV judges. Second round judges matter more and can get you there.. but first round doesn’t put you on tv quite yet.
4. You can sing anything you want. Just avoid cuss word (cause it has to be tv friendly) and come prepared with a few different songs from different genres.
5. Not sure what this question is.. but no matter how early you register, plan on being there for at least a couple days. Either you register early and audition early or register late (second day) and audition late. Come prepared with patience.
Hope that helps! Good luck
This blog is great! I just have one question. If you get past the first round of cuts, is the second round (which is in front of the producers) on the same day? or is there another day for those cuts, then yet another day for auditions in front of the tv judges?
Yes, the second round in front of the producers is the same day as the first round of cuts. The only one that possibly might be the following day (if you audition on day 1) is in front of the tv judges. Remember though, they have a lot of cities to visit and don’t want these audition to last forever either!
Good luck!
IF I ONLY GO WITH MY SOCIAL SECURITY CARD AND MY DRIVERS LICENSE WILL I BE ABLE TO AUDITION OR DO I NEED MY BIRTH CERTIFICATE
You should be fine with Drivers License and SS card. Never hurts to have an extra form of ID, but you only need 2 and those are on the list of acceptable forms. Good luck!
do all three rounds (vending lady-producers-celebrity judges) happen on that day, or does it span multiple days?
It should all happen the same day (although I would imagine things could potentially be different year to year and city to city). At most, I couldn’t imagine a person having to wait longer than one day to see a celebrity judge if you made it that far. Good luck!
I read a couple of places that the second and third rounds of auditions may take place days or weeks later near the first audition site (the 2nd round is for producers and the 3rd is for the actual judges). Do you not think that’s true? My problem is I don’t want to have to make the trip more than once.
I didn’t make it past the first round, so i can’t be 100% confident of what happens afterwards. Plus, things might change year to year. If you don’t want to make the trip more than once, however, you might not want to audition. Seems like having to put more than one day into American Idol is the goal! Good luck. ~AP
Its so funny that you remember anything that happened after you got into the arena. I was 17 when I auditioned. I am now 24. I havent auditioned since. I remember being so tired by the time I got into the arena I couldnt tell you what was going on. I do remember my audition though. I sang one song and they said sing another one. I froze.. I didnt have another one prepared “dummy me” so I stumbled through a verse of its so hard to say goodbye by boys 2 men. But in my defense, everyone in my line only sang one and they were like ok thanks next, so it threw me when they said sing another one. anyway after that I shed a tear walking across the field heading back to meet my dad and brother. By the time I reached our car I was so tired that I didnt care that I didnt make it through. I was ready to go home lol
Its so funny that you remember anything that happened after you got into the arena. I was 17 when I auditioned. I am now 24. I havent auditioned since. I remember being so tired by the time I got into the arena I couldnt tell you what was going on. I do remember my audition though. I sang one song and they said sing another one. I froze.. I didnt have another one prepared “dummy me” so I stumbled through a verse of its so hard to say goodbye by boys 2 men. But in my defense, everyone in my line only sang one and they were like ok thanks next, so it threw me when they said sing another one. anyway after that I shed a tear while walking across the field heading back to meet my dad and brother. By the time I reached our car I was so tired that I didnt care that I didnt make it through. I was ready to go home lol
I definitely remember being exhausted too when it was all said and done! But don’t think my memory is that great–I wrote that article right after the audition 🙂
That sucks. So.. at the first audition, you don’t necessarily have to be a good singer, you just have to “stand out”? They shouldn’t do that, everyone should have an equal chance. I guess they kind of have to, though. I’m sure the judges can’t see that many people.
You can’t do this if you’ve tried out for The Voice right? I heard it has something to do with the fact that you can’t have a backround with anything on American Idol
This was EXACTLY what I needed! I’m auditioning this summer in Atlanta and this made my worries calm down (not knowing what will happen and stuff would mess me up! OCD ) but thanks for this!
Good luck Lexx! Let me know how it goes.
Im thinking about auditioning for season 13 and i found this really helpful but i just wanted to know…. if the audition date posted is July17 i have to be there to register the 15 th?
Check this out friend: http://media.americanidol.com/season_13_auditions/ai13_FAQ.pdf
that link gives the date of registration for the different cities
Hey Paul!! How long should my song be when I first audition??
You won’t have time for a full song.. so start in the middle if you have to. Start with the chorus or second verse if need be (whichever part lets you shine) because you barely get 30 seconds on the first audition. Don’t choose a song with a big build up because you’ll be timed out before you get to the awesome part. Have like 2-3 “awesome parts” ready to go of different genre songs and make a last minute call based on the judges in front of you as to which song you start with. That way if they ask for another song (which they often do), you’ll be prepared with 2 others. The auditions after that.. have some full songs or longer parts to songs prepared (I didn’t make it that far!) so my advice just applies to the first round.
Good luck!
How much singing/show business should you have to even compete?
As a benchmark? 5 years? 10 years? It seems the winners have
at least 15 years of solid singing experience, the rest (talent, presentation)
Fox Corp. fixes.
Not a clue, James. I haven’t actually watched American Idol since Season 2 (minus the few episodes of me looking for myself on Season 10). Wish I could help you more. Maybe someone else reading this blog has some insight for James?
Hey Paul. I had a quick question for you, but before I get to that… Just wanted to thank you for putting this post together so long ago and keeping up with it since then. I scanned through a lot of the comments and found you had some great advice. I’m 29 (barely fit into the age range for the contest) and have been thinking all year about going to the audition. If I went, it would be next weekend in New York (I’ve submitted an online audition as well). But I’m so nervous even thinking about it–like, my heart is still in my throat after reading your article. I get really nervous about crowds and spotlights. I guess I just thought I’d post here and ask if you had any words of encouragement for me. I also travel like you and am a big advocate of creating opportunities and cherishing the journey over the destination… but this one has me scared to death. I’m almost afraid of any outcome, afraid to do well or do poorly. What if it means more to me than I thought it would and I’m devastated afterward? So many negative thoughts running through my head at the thought of this. I’m not telling any of my friends or family about my aspirations though, so I’m at a loss for encouragement at the moment. If you could spare a moment, I’d appreciate it. Cheers to you and the adventurer’s way.
What if it means more to you than you thought it would and you cherish the experience afterwards for the rest of your life? Two sides to every coin. Remember there will be thousands of people just like you there too – a little scared of the spotlight, lots of uncertainty, excitement, fear, the whole mix of emotions – but you will all be in it together. Trust me, once you get there, it’ll feel like a team. Consider yourself trying out with a giant support group of people just like you.
I really hope you do it. I understand the fear of feeling bad afterwards, but there’s a very small chance of that outcome, and a much bigger chance of many positive outcomes instead. Send me a pic of you at the auditions to paul@travelislife.org. Good luck Jonathan!