How do American Idol auditions actually work? With thousands of people showing up, the “Big 3” can’t possibly see everyone in a few days - is there some sort of pre-screening that lets through only the really good singers, and some of the others for comic relief?
Bump - just a small one. I’m really interested in finding out how American Idol auditions work.
I believe they all get an audition and some cases are sent through to the ‘famous judges’. So there is some pre-selection goign on.
There are two rounds of auditions. The big general cattle call one that they hold in a stadium of some sort - the ones that give you those big crowd shots in the stands. The auditions are in front of producers and from there they decide who will be called back for the 2nd round in front of the Big 3. They obviously pick bac singers along with the good ones for the 2nd round for the entertainment value.
You’ll notice that the auditions in front of the Big 3 are always in a hotel ballroom or convention center of some sort.
From different things I’ve read there are 3 rounds. Round 1 is the big cattle call. They go up before a first round of judges and are given a short try out, and either make it through or not. I’ve read a lot of different things about how this level has quotas as well (for example, only allowed to let through x number of blonde country chicks, after that they will all be booted).
Round 2 is in front of the producers. This is usually filmed. Then Round 3 is in front of the Big 3 judges.
These can be held days or even weeks apart. The contestants are told to be careful about same outfits/hair, but occasionally you will see someone in one of the montages of bad singing wearing something different than when in front of the judges. Also, watch the editing. Sometimes you never actually see the person with the big three judges at the same time. I’ve read things by contestants that the song that is aired was actually sung for the producer, and the reactions are really for a different song they sang for the Big 3.
There are a lot of interesting pieces to how AI works. Several years ago I was reading everything I could get my hands on about it.
There are, of course, many other websites that go into more detail, that’s just the first that popped up for my google search.
Tons and tons of editing to make it look like one big audition.
There’s a really interesting blog out there by a former contestant about how the show works - I’d like to say it’s by Chris Sligh, who appeared a few seasons back. But if I’m wrong, someone can come in here and correct me and maybe post a link.
My hairdresser auditioned a few seasons ago. He was the “crazy” hairdresser from Seattle who supposedly went at Simon to fix his hair, and was hauled off by security. He said it went like this:
Audition #1 is a huge cattle call where you are seen by low-level producers. If they want you to move ahead, they tell you you are really good and that they want to see more of you.
Audition #2 is in front of more senior producers, and if they want you to move forward they tell you you are really really good and that you have an excellent chance. They then go to your hometown and film backstory color. (“Susie’s just a smalltown girl from Dubuque who lives in a farm and sings with her choir” kinda stuff.)
Audition #3 is when you get to go see the Big 3 (or 4).
From the very first audition ou are told to keep hair and clothes and everything the same. If you make it to the third audition, it’s been a month of you being told by all sorts of staff that you’re great, signing all sorts of release forms and permissions to be filmed, they’ve come to your hometown and interviewed your grade school teacher and your grandma. That’s all before you get to meet Randy, Paula, Simon, Stephen, Jennifer, etc. Eric (my hairdresser) said that Seacrest was the one who told him on the 3rd audition to go up to Simon to “do” his hair. That got him hauled off by security.
Eric was a terrible singer, and a big goofy guy to boot. He was clearly picked by the producers for the jokey part. I don’t know why he auditioned. I didn’t have the nerve to ask him if he did it as a joke or if he really thought he was good. But the producers definitely groom the candidates for a month telling them that they’re really good and getting them very, very excited. That’s why you see all of those bad singers looking genuinely shocked at the judges’ negative responses. It’s not as though they just walked in off the street and got the bad news (though that’s exactly what the show makes it look like). It’s that they’ve been told the exact opposite by American Idol staff and then thrown under the bus.
I wasn’t aware there was an interim step between the producers and the judges. I wonder if that changes from year to year. We’ve had it in Milwaukee before and it’s always just been a two part process. Meet at an auditorium and if you make it through you go to see the judges about two weeks later at a different place. Also, if you listen closely you’ll occasionally here Ryan refer to the auditions as “Round 2”.
Wait, is the first and second step all in one day and essentially part of the same round? That makes more sense.
That may be right. I have to be honest. I’m a little fuzzy on the details. The story was told to me a few years ago.
Was that the guy who looked like Taylor Hicks?