In one of the most grueling Hollywood Rounds inAmerican Idolhistory, each hopeful gets one shot to make the cut to 24. But one contestant made waves by stopping her performance twice, only to perform a cappella and THEN complain to production to give her another chance to sing. In an era where heartfelt stories triumph onAmerican Idol,Madai ChaKell’s moment evoked the original run of the hit franchise. As awkward as it was, it is a reminder of what the show was and should continue to feature.Not allreality televisionis peachy keen.
ForAmerican Idol’s 22nd season, 143 hopefuls entered the brand newAmerican IdolArena in order to make the cut all the way down to the Top 24. While judgesKaty Perry, Luke Bryan, andLionel Richiesaid they only had one shot to make the cut, the first round of the newfound Hollywood Round actually saw the 143 artists drop to 56. Regardless of the number of contestants partaking in the Showstoppers round, the Arena round proved that the pressure cooker known asAmerican Idolcan bring out the worst in people.Such is the case for Madai ChaKell.
American Idol
Twelve American finalists (six men and six women) compete in a singing contest.
First appearing for the judges in the initial audition rounds, Madai ChaKell, a Massachusetts native who found her way to New York City via the world of theater,surprised the judges with her rendition of Katy Perry’s hit track “I Kissed a Girl.“After giving the judges her various voices and a follow-up rendition of “Happy Birthday,” her performance did allow her to make the Hollywood Round. Though Luke Bryan was her lone no vote, stating that he believes that she is a year or two away from perfecting who she is, an individual artist. Regardless, her characters grabbed attention and her journey continued. But once she entered the terrifyingAmerican IdolArena, something snapped, and Madai brought the energy and aura of the room to a whole new level.To say it was awkward is an understatement.
In this newAmerican IdolArena round, the judges promised it would be the biggest cut inAmerican Idolhistory.The odds of moving forward statistically were not in the favor of the hopefuls. They all needed to bring their all to the stage and offer everything they got. For this round, each contestant would be called at random to perform a song of their choosing.When it reached Madai’s turn, viewers were given a brief reminder of who she was. And the edit had already turned against her.Showcasing her as someone hungry for the camera, it was clear Madai is someone who never shies away from creating a viral moment. And that is what she did. Madai’s goal was to tap into who she was, as she told hostRyan Seacrestthat she had done some digging to prove Luke wrong. Upon reaching the stage, her voice turned intoAriana Grandeas she was about to give a replica performance of “Tattooed Heart.” Whether it was put upon intentionally or not, Madai’s Ariana-esque vocals did not line up with her accompanist. Her frustration got the best of her, stopping the performance midway through, twice. She stated that she wasn’t feeling it, blaming the pianist as it was not the way they practiced. Following her a cappella rendition, Luke asked her if she was feeling OK and if her voice was 100%, only for Madai to say she was handling it, and it’s not where she would like it. Luke will tell her the truth that it was shaky, causing Madai to not take accountability for her performance. The show cut to commercials, only to return to Madai speaking to the production team about her experience.Given a second chance, the diva attitude came out, as she begged for a chair, as she was feeling shaky. Would a second go at the song make a difference? Not at all. She would be cut by the end of the night.
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Is her rude attitude solely to blame for her departure? Not at all. Madai has a beautiful instrument, but the person that Madai displayed on stage toward the judges was not what anAmerican Idolshould be. Perhaps, in the golden age of the franchise, putting Madai through would be divisive as she would be a controversial figure, but that’s not what this iteration ofAmerican Idoldoes.American Idol is focused on empowering stories. Even when speaking to the judges a second time, Madai adopted a British accent, calling out Luke for her not knowing who she was. Well, she was standing there on stage proving Luke’s point. If her goal was to create a viral moment that people would talk about, Madai served her purpose. Many fans are talking about her attitude rather than the massive cut on the program.
The Stakes of the New Hollywood Round on ‘American Idol’
With the newAmerican IdolArena coming into play, the stakes of the new Hollywood Round have changed quite drastically.Part of the gimmick of theAmerican IdolHollywood rounds was the group performance aspect. Whether performing in groups or duets, the American Idol hopefuls were often first asked to partner up and perform a number.WhileAmerican Idolis a solo game, this mini-challenge was more about finding out who can stand out from the crowd.It was often a way to keep things lively and entertaining for the viewers with a little bit of drama and chaos. While theAmerican IdolArena round did present a group performance of “California Dreamin” from the season’s Platinum Ticket holders,Abi Carter, Julia Gagnon, andOdell Bunton Jr. Refreshing the format is always welcome to viewers, as long as the integrity of the show is present. TheAmerican IdolArena only served drama when it came to Madai. Certainly, if the 143 hopefuls were divided into groups, the ultimate selection could have been different. But in a game where the artist is on a solo journey, axing the group performance may have some legs to stand on.Finding the true American Idol is truly about shining on your own, and this new format, as stressful as it is, provides the opportunity to discover who truly is in it to win it.Groups during the theme weeks in the final rounds is always fun for the viewers, and perhaps that’s the best and only place to have them during the competition.
American Idolhas sometimes felt like it’s slowing down, but after a bit of a shake-up during the Hollywood Round, things are feeling invigorating again. Was it the best move to change how the round works? It’s up for debate.Without the Arena, perhaps we might not have had the Madai moment.A moment that will go down in history. With 56 shrinking to 24, this class of hopefuls are quite strong. It’s going to be a battle for the top. Expect heartbreak and some insanely powerful vocals!
American Idolairs Sundays at 8:00 pm onABC. Episodes are available to stream the next day onHulu.
