‘American Idol XIV’ video: Desiree Flores auditions with Heart’s ‘Alone’
We took a day off for New Year’s Eve from our “American Idol” audition spotlight series, but we’re back today! The fun thing about these is that they are a slightly-augmented version of the blind auditions (as in we get to actually see them) from “The Voice.” We don’t read up or do any research on these people before watching them sing, since we want to be objective and look mostly at their talent.
Today, we’re focusing on Desiree Flores, someone who we feel has a reasonable shot to go far. If nothing else, she is getting off to a very solid start.
Song Choice – “Alone” by “Heart.” Given that Simon Cowell once told Carrie Underwood after this performance that she would sell more records than any other contestant ever on the show (something he probably plays back anytime he feels unsure about himself), the standards are high (and this is without even mentioning the great job that Allison Iraheta did in season 8). Expectations aside, it’s a great choice for an audition song in that it’s challenging, emotional, and memorable.
The performance – We’ve only done three of these audition articles, but Desiree’s voice is better than any we’ve heard so far. She hits all of the notes, and we feel a little bit of the vulnerability. Could there be more? Sure, and the same goes for her stage presence. Then again, it’s probably hard to have a presence when you are nervous and performing to a tiny audience. These are things that she will be able to improve on as the season progresses.
The verdict – She’ll have to bring even more in the later rounds, but there is a 0.00001% chance she gets sent away with the natural talent that she brings to the table. Our early prediction here is that she at least makes it a couple of rounds into Hollywood Week, where one bad performance can change everything for an artist.
Want to see some of the other auditions we’ve spotlighted already? Then be sure to head over to the link here! Also, to get some other updates on everything we cover, sign up for our CarterMatt Newsletter. (Photo: Fox.)