American IdolTM is a popular television show that showcases talented singers from across the country. The show holds auditions once a year to find contestants for the following season. These auditions are held in a number of major US cities in order to allow as many people as possible to participate. Thousands of hopeful contestants travel from all over the country to compete for a chance to be famous, but only a few from each city will make it onto American IdolTM.
To audition for American IdolTM, the first step is to locate the nearest audition location. Several months before the auditions, the locations and times are usually announced. As soon as you know where you’ll be auditioning, start preparing. Make hotel reservations and begin saving for your trip. Take voice lessons and pick a song to perform. To learn more about the requirements for auditioning, visit the American Idol TM website. Contestants must be between the ages of 16 and 29 and citizens of the United States. Anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
Arrive at the audition site early. Registration takes place over the first two days. Before the camera starts rolling, anyone who wants to audition will need to show two forms of identification and fill out some paperwork. Once you’ve registered, a paper band will be placed around your wrist to indicate that you’ve been cleared for the audition.
On the day of the auditions, contestants are allowed to line up as early as 6:00 a.m. The earlier you arrive, the better. Dress to impress; you want to look like someone who would look good on TV. You don’t want to go overboard, but you do want to look good. However, there are some clothing restrictions on American IdolTM. You are not permitted to have visible tattoos or to wear clothing bearing a logo or bearing the likeness of any famous person, living or dead.
The first audition is held in four-person groups in front of one of twelve groups of two judges. These judges are members of the production team for the show. Each performer will have 15 seconds to perform a song of their choosing. Try to sing something a little different but still appropriate for your voice. You want to be able to stand out from the crowd because judges may hear the same song thousands of times.
Only about 100 to 200 contestants will advance to the second round after this initial audition. The second round will take place at a different time and in a different location, with the contestants auditioning in front of the American IdolTM producers. Participants will perform in front of the official American IdolTM judges after this audition. Anyone who makes it through that round will be sent to Hollywood to audition for a spot in the top group of performers for the TV show.
Only a small percentage of the thousands of singers who audition for American Idol TM each year get a chance to actually perform as a contestant on the television show. The judges are looking for contestants with a lot of talent, a lot of glitz, and a compelling story to tell. American IdolTM is a reality television show, not a talent competition, and it takes more than a great voice to get through the auditions. It takes a lot of self-assurance, personality, and willpower.