LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Sunday is a big night on American Idol.
We will go from 143 hopefuls to just 56 as part of the Idol Arena, the biggest single-day cut in the show's history.
We have three Las Vegas residents in the hunt.
The youngest is 15-year-old Sophia Ava Marie. She auditioned, when she was just 14, after a producer came to her school. That led to her virtual audition and ultimately, the chance to sing in front of the judges.
Then, there's jazz singer Athena Jett. Her younger sister, Angelina, spoke up and helped give Athena another shot. The judges liked it and put her through to the next round.
And we can't forget UK-born Mackenzie Sol. He appeared in the first episode this season with Katy Perry saying he could be in the Top 10. His mom surprised him by showing up for his audition, which ended with him getting a golden ticket.
Because of the Idol Arena twist, that means the dreaded group round is gone. That was when contestants had to form groups and work through the night to find a song to sing. As a viewer, you'd never know how it was going to turn out. Some contestants were left in tears because of the stress.
I asked senior producer Melissa Elfar if the Idol Arena is less stressful for the contestants.
"I think it's a different set of stress," Elfar said. "This is the cool twist. You never know what happens in Hollywood Week. Right? So they came in thinking okay, maybe it's a traditional Hollywood Week, and they'll have a few rounds to show off their stuff, whether it be their solo performance or duet round and then earn their way into the Showstopper round. But it's American Idol. It's Hollywood Week. You never know what's going to happen so that's what makes this year's Hollywood Week so exciting.
"Is there a reason why you decided to go this route opposed to the group round," I asked.
"Hollywood Week is that kind of boot camp for singers, if you will, so it's kind of keeping you on your toes. You always gotta be prepared. You never know what's going to happen so this is just part of that process," Elfar said.
You can catch it all Sunday night at 8 p.m. right here on Channel 13. Then, the Showstoppers round is set for Monday night.
