Think you’ve got what it takes to be the next Alabama winner of “American Idol”? Well, it’s time to take the first step toward that goal.
The ABC reality series is holding live virtual auditions for Alabama on Aug. 15, using Zoom for its open-call format. Singers can sign up online via the “Idol” website, registering for Zoom chats that will connect them with producers and other staffers for the show.
Alabama’s Ruben Studdard, the iconic Season 2 winner of “Idol”, is set to participate in the audition process on Aug. 15. Studdard, a Birmingham resident, will be “joining hopefuls in the waiting room for Q&A, audition tips and more,” according to a press release.
The virtual auditions -- happening throughout the month and targeting all 50 states -- are part of an “Idol Across America” series that basically takes the place of cattle-call auditions formerly held in cities across the country.
A handful of states are targeted each day for the Zoom auditions. Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana, for example, are the focus of Aug. 15.
You don’t have to live in a specific state to sign up for the virtual auditions scheduled on that day. (“You do not need to be a resident of or physically present in the location for which you choose to register,” according to the FAQs.) Also, singers can register to audition on more than one day, presumably increasing their chances to score a “yes” during this first round.
(Note: It’s unclear if Studdard will be on hand as an informal mentor on other audition dates, but “Idol” is touting his presence on Aug. 15. If you want a chance to chat with the Velvet Teddy Bear, the Alabama auditions appear to offer the best opportunity.)
The audition schedule also includes two nationwide open call dates, on Aug. 22 and Sept. 14. In addition, there are open calls for specific geographic areas in September. Open call for the South is set for Sept. 7; the East Coast gets a turn on Sept. 8; open call for the West and Midwest is Sept. 12.
Singers can audition for show in two other ways, as well: by posting an audition video on social media -- Instagram, Facebook, TikTok or Twitter -- or by uploading an audition video to the American Idol online audition portal.
No matter which format you choose, take a careful look at the audition FAQs and other details posted online. This includes eligibility requirements, specifics on registration and essential information about the audition process. For example, the show’s celebrity judges -- Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan -- are not involved in the first round of auditions. Singers have to jump through a few more hoops before they’re eligible to face the famous troika.
To date, Alabama has produced two winners (Studdard and Taylor Hicks) and two runners-up (Diana DeGarmo and Bo Bice) on “Idol,” all during the first five seasons. Several other singers from the state have made the Top 10 on other seasons.
RELATED: Alabama’s ‘American Idol’ dynasty: 8 singers from our state made their marks over first 14 seasons
In Season 20, which aired earlier this year, three contestants from Alabama -- Kezia “Lady K” Istonia, Tristen Gressett and Cadence Baker -- made the Top 20. Lady K, an R&B singer, went to the Top 10 before she was eliminated; Gressett, a flamboyant rocker, finished in the Top 11. Baker was cut after the Top 20.
RELATED: Tristen Gressett on life after ‘American Idol’: ‘So many things are in store right now’
“Idol” made its debut in 2002 on FOX and ran for 15 seasons on that network. The series jumped to ABC in 2018 after a yearlong hiatus. As a result, many longtime fans think of the next season, which will air in 2023, as Season 21. ABC calls it Season Six, since it’ll be the sixth “Idol” run on that network.
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