LIVE: ‘American Idol’ 2024 — Reactions, Results, and Recap from Season 22 Premiere

McKenna Breinholt, 25, of Gilbert, Arizona, impressed all three judges with her poignant rendition of “There Was Jesus,” Dolly Parton’s 2019 duet with Christian rock artist Zach Williams.

Breinholt, who was adopted as a baby, told the judges she connected with members of her birth family last summer. Although they had only spoken on FaceTime, Breinholt said they had plans to meet in person three weeks after her audition.

What Breinholt didn’t know, however, was that several members of her birth family waited to meet her on the opposite side of the door. And as soon as she opened that door, social media erupted.

“American Idol” judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan infuriated viewers when they said no to indie artist Jack Blocker, of Dallas, Texas during the Season 22 premiere.

“They said NO to Jack?!!? Literally wtf.,” one viewer wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “He was the first person so far that I was like I would definitely listen to his album.”

Blocker performed an original, “I Was Wrong,” accompanying himself on guitar. He made some interesting facial expressions during the performance, for which he was criticized by Perry.

Fortunately, Bryan and the crew ultimately voted to save Blocker, sending a contestant to Hollywood via a crew vote for the first time in “Idol’s” 22-year history.

Austin’s Odell Bunton Jr. has nabbed the first platinum ticket of the season.

Platinum tickets are awarded to “Idol” contestants who manage to stand out amid the thousands of auditions. Bunton did just take with his take on Sam Cooke.

One “American Idol” viewer was shocked to see host Ryan Seacrest still at the helm. Fortunately, Seacrest is taking it all in stride.

The music competition reality show made Seacrest a household name when it premiered on Fox in 2022. He hosted the series until it ended in April 2016. Then, in 2017, Seacrest announced he would host an “American Idol” reboot after ABC came out on top in a multi-network bidding war for the rights to the show.

Micaela McCall, the 28-year-old from Santa Barbara, is the next to punch her ticket to Hollywood on tonight’s season 22 premiere of “American Idol.”

Ex-Minnesota Viking Blake Proehl is already capturing hearts with his “American Idol” audition.

Proehl advanced to Hollywood after performing Brett Young’s “In Case You Didn’t Know.” The 24-year-old Charlotte, North Carolina native accompanied himself on piano with his proud “Nana” by his side.

“Blake was born to be an artist the NFL was just a stepping stone,” one viewer wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Proehl is the son of former NFL wide receiver Ricky Proehl, a member of the St. Louis Rams’ high-flying offense dubbed “The Greatest Show on Turf.”

Social media users are calling New Yorker Ajii’s audition of Teddy Swims’ “Lose Control” the best they’ve seen all night.

And indeed, the Brooklynite is headed to Hollywood, with the judges telling him he has the potential to be a top 10 contender.

“Ajii is bringing that diamond in the rough stuff to #AmericanIdol,” host Ryan Seacrest wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “He’s going to Hollywood!”

An 18-year-old Carmel, Indiana native has punched her golden ticket to Hollywood after host Ryan Seacrest said on social media that she “brought the house down.”

Meggie Iyer won the judges over with her rendition of Bonnie Raitt’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me.”

“Meggie Iyer slipped right into this melody,” one user wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Simple delivery with good energy and a little cry in her voice. Love her sound. That falsetto riff blew me away and then she belted. Great way to show many facets of her voice.”

Kennedy Reid, the 23-year-old funeral director from New Albany, Indiana, is going to Hollywood.

Host Ryan Seacrest posted a picture to social media of him sporting Reid’s memorable hot pink press-on nails.

Reid performed Tina Turner’s “Deep Mountain Red” for the judges. 

One Season 22 hopeful has some strong Memphis blues ties. The daughter of late soul singer-songwriter Wendy Rene posted to social media that her nephew, Julian Cross, is one of the contestants vying for a golden ticket to Hollywood on “American Idol.”

Wendy Rene, whose music has been sampled by the likes of Wu-Tang Clan and Alicia Keys, recorded for legendary soul label Stax Records in the mid-1960s. Stax won a pair of GRAMMYs during the Feb. 4 ceremony for its archival set “Written In Their Soul: The Stax Songwriter Demos.” The seven-CD, 146-track collection showcased Stax’s roster of songwriters, including Wendy Rene.

Wendy Rene (real name Mary Cross) died of a stroke in 2014 at age 67. We’ll have to keep watching to see if her nephew follows in her footsteps.

Fans got a sneak peek from 15-year-old Triston Harper when “American Idol” released the McIntosh, Alabama native’s audition video earlier this month.

The teenager won judges over with his rendition of Jason Isbell’s “Cover Me Up.” And it looks like he’s already won over some fans as well.

In the end, all three judges gave Harper a “Yes” and sent him to Hollywood. He will be one to watch in the coming weeks.

Country star and “American Idol” judge Luke Bryan, looking fresh off a day of winter activities, took to social media to remind viewers that Season 22 of “American Idol” premieres tonight.

A bundled-up Bryan declined to specify where he was (only “a wintry wonderland”) as snow fell around him.

“Tune in,” the “Knockin’ Boots” singer said. “Love y’all.”

“American Idol” Season 22 contestant Mackenzie Sol is headed to Hollywood after earning a “yes” from each judge.

The 23-year-old Sol, who hails from a small Northern England town, “has been making music, acting and dancing from a young age and first peaked the interest of music fans and executives in the U.S. when he appeared on X-Factor at the age of 5,” according to his YouTube channel.