American Idol season 22 episode 4: Recap and more details explored

The ABC show American Idol is back with a new season, as judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan hunt for candidates to compete for the winning title. This time, judges have traveled to their hometowns in Santa Barbara, Tuskegee, and Leesburg, in an attempt to find their next star.

American Idol season 22 episode 4 was released on Sunday, March 17, 2024, exclusively on ABC. The episode synopsis reads as follows:

"Superstar judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie share where their own dreams began with trips to their hometowns, bringing heart, laughter and antics to another round of auditions in search of the next American Idol."

The newly released episode was full of impressive covers, heartfelt stories, and honest feedback. Highlights of this episode include participants such as Julia Davo, Alyssa Raghu, Amari and Conall Gorman.

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What happened on American Idol season 22 episode 4?

As week four auditions continue and judges hunt for hidden talent, fans are eagerly anticipating the semi-finals. Episode 4 introduced viewers to many new faces competing for the title of American Idol 2024. However, fans were surprised to see former contestant Alyssa Raghu auditioning on the show.

Alyssa previously appeared in seasons 16 and 17 in 2018 and 2019, respectively. This time, she was there to support her friend and roommate Julia Davo, and test her luck for the third time. Julia, a 20-year-old Brooklyn resident is a waitress who sang Life on Mars? by David Bowie and impressed the judges with her unique singing style.

Unfortunately, she only got one yes from Lionel Richie. Katy Perry encouraged her to work on her singing abilities, and Luke told Julia that she had a long way to go as an artist. When it was American Idol star Alyssa's turn, she made a lasting impression on the judges by singing My All by Mariah Carey.

Lionel and Luke said yes, which was a bittersweet moment for Alyssa. Katy acknowledged her talent and potential but thought Alyssa might not stay in the competition for too long.

Another contestant who was the highlight of American Idol season 22, week 4 auditions was Amari, a 28-year-old waitress from Indiana, who sang her version of Toxic by Britney Spears. She showcased her ability to transform songs into her own and give a different rhythm to them. After her performance ended, Katy felt Amari wasn't singing to her full potential and there was a hindrance while singing.

Amari then sang She Used To Be Mine by Sarah Bareilles through which she got a yes from Katy. Luke thought Amari needed more improvement, and Lionel voted a yes, stating her raw authentic vocals were imperfect but brought perfection to her cover song.

One more participant who auditioned on season 22 episode 4 was Conall Gorman. At just 19 years of age, he sang an original song called Backseat. Conall shared that he saved money for his guitar and is currently a college student. All three judges were impressed by his charming personality and singing abilities, and they gave him a yes.

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The first four audition episodes of season 22 are available to watch on the official ABC website. Fans can also stream the newly released episodes on Fubo TV and Hulu.