“American Idol” judge Lionel Richie is calling Keyla Richardson‘s performance in the Top 20 “the greatest performance” he has “ever seen on this stage.”
Richardson gave the final performance of the Top 20 contestants during the March 23 episode of Season 24. The 29-year-old from Pensacola, Florida performed a rendition of The Beatles’ “With a Little Help From My Friends.” Her performance immediately stood out among the judges trio, especially the “Say You, Say Me” singer, who compared her vocals to legendary artists such as Janis Joplin and Tina Turner.
During the “Ohana Round,” of the competition, 30 contestants performed for a group of “industry tastemakers,” who helped the judges narrow down the competition to the Top 20. The competition then moved to Hawaiʻi at Disney’s Aulani Resort. During the March 23 episode, the second and final week in Hawaiʻi, country music superstar Brad Paisley and actress and singer Keke Palmer continued mentoring the Top 20 contestants. Palmer also joined Richie, Carrie Underwood, and Luke Bryan at the judges’ table.
With live voting beginning on March 16, this is also the first time fans have had a say in who moves forward during Season 24. Viewers will find out which contestants will be moving on to the Top 14 during the first Live Show of the season on March 30.
Watch Richardson’s Performance of ‘With a Little Help From My Friends’
When Palmer asked Richardson what drew her to this song, Richardson explained that there was a time where she didn’t feel like she was “good enough.” She told Palmer and Paisley that “God had to place friends around me.”
Richardson continued, “They were destiny helpers to me. They helped me to my purpose, and they pushed me.”
Before Richardson even hit the stage, her vocals made Palmer shed a tear, saying that her “special voice” felt “so truthful,” while Paisley’s reaction was that this was “a perfect singer.”
“That voice was ancestral, girl,” Palmer said after giving Richardson a hug. She went on to say that Richardson was doing more than just singing, she was “embodying spirit through song.”
Richardson went on to perform on the big stage in front of the judges panel. Following her performance, which had all of the judges up out of their seats, Richie was unable to contain his excitement. “I have never. I have never ever! I’ve been on ‘American Idol’ since I was that big,” Richie said, per Billboard. “I have never had any contestant walk out on this stage and tear the place up.”
Richie added, “The place got blown up. That Janis Joplin sounding, Tina Turner sounding. I don’t know who you are, but that right there was the greatest performance I have ever seen on this stage.”
“The last time I’ve seen somebody make me feel like this and get people turned up like this, her name was Fantasia Barrino,” Palmer said. “And she won ‘American Idol.'”
“You don’t think about what you’re doing as it’s happening. It just flows out of you. You were in the moment, you were having fun with the audience. It was from the heavens to Keyla and then out to us. It was spectacular,” Underwood praised Richardson.
Bryan added, “You’re just here to let what God has given you come out.”
Relive Richardson’s Emotional Audition That Brought Bryan to Tears
Richardson has been a standout performer since her audition.
In her audition package, Richardson explained that she has been a music teacher for about six years. “When those kids step into the class, I see myself a lot of time,” she said.
Richardson grew up in the church, and she grew up singing, but she still felt like she wasn’t good enough. “Nobody saw me, nobody heard me,” she explained.
She said that Drew, her son, means “the world” to her and is her “best friend.”
“She’s the best mom in the world,” Drew said during the package. “She deserves everything.”
For her audition, Richardson sang “Glitter in the Air” by P!nk. The powerful performance stunned the judges.
“I can imagine you on some songs where you would just blow the roof off this place because of the range,” Richie said.
Bryan was moved to tears by Richardson, which was something he pointed out to Drew when he joined her in the audition room to receive the coveted golden ticket to Hollywood. Bryan told the singer, “You have a voice that will make people stop in their tracks.”
