Overview
- Carmen Lorell, 20, from El Dorado Hills, California, auditioned at the piano with Ty Myers’ “Thought It Was Love.”
- Carrie Underwood praised her tone and range but asked for more oomph, while Luke Bryan urged her to cut loose away from the piano.
- Lionel Richie framed a yes vote as a push to toughen her up for the next round with the rest of the class.
- Luke Bryan tapped the wine glass Bateman brought to announce the golden ticket after Bateman used it to introduce her “beautiful niece.”
- Bateman joined Lorell for a brief duet of “Let Me Be Your Star” from Smash, as coverage noted her Disney World stage work, a Miss Saigon tour credit, a past Disney recording deal, and a 2024 holiday EP.