American Idol is back for Season 21.
You may not know that auditions were held right here in Las Vegas back in September, which is where anchor Justin Hinton sat down with Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, and Ryan Seacrest.
The first episode aired on Sunday, Feb. 19 and there's a new crop of talent and potentially, some bigger surprises.
Last year, contestants got a chance to earn a platinum ticket, which let them skip the first round of Hollywood week. This year, contestants will also have to perform songs selected by judges.
From Idol auditions in the past, it's clear that you never know what voice is waiting to be discovered.
"Our first day coming in, we got a little nervous," Perry said. "We think maybe we have milked the cow of America dry when in reality, there are new stars that are born every day."
Even the audition process has changed going from standing in long lines to auditioning virtually.
Social media is also playing a big role in how the stars of tomorrow are being discovered.
It's the show that has launched dozens of careers starting with Season 1 winner Kelly Clarkson, who now has her own talk show. The Kelly Clarkson Show airs on Channel 13 at 2 p.m. every weekday.
And the judges say you can expect to see more future stars on this season of American Idol.
We'll continue to bring you the latest on American Idol and you can watch the show right here on Channel 13 on Sunday nights.
