ABC/Christopher Willard
The last episode of auditions for American Idol season 4 airs on Sunday, March 14, 2021, and the episode features the audition of Wyatt Pike, a teenager who sang an original song for the judges.
The American Idol judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan were all impressed with the performance by Wyatt Pike.
Pike wrote his original song, which is called “Better For You,” for his sister, to whom he was very close. He said that his sister went through some mental health issues and he wanted to help in a way that he thought he could.
Watch Wyatt Pike’s American Idol Audition
All three of the judges liked Pike’s original song as well as his style, but they were a bit put off by a few things that he did during his performance.
“Ultimately, the question comes down to the suitcase,” Lionel Richie said, talking about the suitcase Pike had placed next to him that said, “Ticket Goes Here!”
Luke Bryan was possibly the most impressed by Pike.
“I want more!” he said once Pike finished performing. “You are the exact spitting image of my high school bass player, Jeff Taylor. I’m talking about, hilariously, exactly. So, man, I think you’re totally cool, totally unique, totally in your own world and in your own lane, playing your guitar in your style, in your movements.”
He added, “Get comfortable with getting forced outside of some of that, but I think at the nucleus of all this is some pretty, interesting, artistic magic happening. I’m excited you’re here.
Katy Perry thought that he was nervous during the performance, which might have been something that hurt his performance.
“Pottery,” Perry started. “You know about pottery? So, it’s going at a speed and all it takes sometimes is a finger to make a handle, make an edge, or to make it fall over. I think your nerves have got you going faster than the actual pocket is.”
She added, “But these are technical things, on top of the immense talent you have,” she told the young singer.
Lionel Richie told the singer that he was “a Park City James Taylor.”
At the end of the day, Pike got three yes votes from the judges and was sent on to Hollywood Week.
Pike Says The Song Was Very Personal
Pike told ParkRecord.com that the song was a personal one for him.
“The song is also a personal song for me,” he told the outlet. “It’s about my sister, who I love very much. Playing covers is great because I can change them up and do my own thing with them, but performing a song of my own was more exciting for me.”
He added, “I wanted to go in with something that I had written so I could really show as much of myself as possible. Hopefully, it showed the judges that I can write and tell stories.”
American Idol airs on Sundays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.
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