Watch Indiana singers Cam Amen and Mikenley Brown impress 'American Idol' judges

Hoosier voices impressed “American Idol” judges during auditions in an episode aired Sunday, earning tickets to Hollywood.

Cam Amen, 27, originally from Indianapolis, blew away the TV singing competition’s panel, singing Leonard Cohen’s "Hallelujah" after sharing his story about going in and out of foster care with his younger brother and sister.

“We all got taken away from our mom,” he said. “I just remember being taken out of my classroom by police officers. We were crying, waiting for mom. She never came.”

Amen, who moved to Nebraska with his girlfriend, said he left foster care at age 18 and took in his brother and sister, now ages 21 and 20, respectively.

“I actually never thought I’d be at this point,” he said from the audition room.

After his performance, judges Lionel Richie, Luke Bryan and Katy Perry all left their seats to hug a weeping Amen, with Richie telling the young singer, “Welcome home,” and Bryan saying, “I don’t have anybody that I’ve seen in this competition to compare you to.”

Bryan told the other judges, “He may be the best soul singer we’ve ever had.”

That’s pretty high praise, as the series saw Fantasia Barrino win in an early season, the same in which Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson competed.

This is the sixth year of judging for Richie, Bryan and Perry on the series ABC revived in 2018. It aired on Fox from 2002 to 2016.

The judges not only sent Amen to Hollywood, where contestants compete to go on to live TV audience voting rounds, but presented him a coveted platinum ticket that allows him to sit out the first portion of the competition.

“You’ve been through a lot, but the rest of your life is waiting on you,” Richie said. 

Mikenley Brown of New Castle takes American Idol stage

Mikenley Brown, 17, of New Castle also won a ticket to Hollywood with her audition performance of Rihanna’s “Love on the Brain.”

Accompanied on guitar by her father who she called her best friend, Brown told the judges about her middle school ordeal with bullying and the resulting eating disorder from which her doctor told her she’d die.

“She had to find her voice and realize she wasn’t created to fit in," Mike Brown told the panel. “I feel like I’ve gotten my daughter back.”

Richie complimented the teenager's vocal style.

“So all that teasing in school about your voice – throw that behind you,” he told her. “Now you’ve got all of that nice sunshine right in front of you.  I can spot your voice from any other contestant.”

The episode began streaming on Hulu on Monday.  

Contact IndyStar reporter Cheryl V. Jackson at cheryl.jackson@indystar.com or 317-444-6264. Follow her on Twitter:@cherylvjackson.