Francisco Martin at the “American Idol” finale. Image: screengrab via YouTube/American Idol
Filipino-American Francisco Martin made it to the top five in the first virtual finale of “American Idol” yesterday, May 17.
Martin, a college student, made it to the finals after going through the top seven round last week.
The winner of “American Idol” season 18 is Just Sam, a 20-year-old subway singer, who had a rough start when she broke down in her audition. Nepali immigrant Arthur Gunn, 20, was the runner-up.
The top five contestants delivered two performances: the first was what they would “celebrate with” after the coronavirus pandemic, while the second was a song they performed in past rounds.
Martin gave a rendition of Harry Style’s “Adore You” and covered “Alaska” by Maggie Rogers, his audition song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHGyPWyc48k
After his first performance, judge Katy Perry told him, “You do deserve to be here. I saw you smiling in the screen. If you could do that to an iPhone, imagine what you will do to a large crowd.”
His second song, which he performed in his yard, earned him applause not just from his family at home, but also from neighbors.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaMV7Gscz2s
Perry commended him for the “elevated version” compared to the first time he sang in front of the judges, when he struggled to talk to them.
“It sounded like it was professionally recorded in the studio somewhere. That’s how good it was,” the pop star said.
“The sky is the limit for your career,” Luke Bryan chimed in.
“You have been a model student,” Lionel Richie said. “You have taken all of our notes and every time I see you, I smile while you’re performing because you have delivered the goods on graduation day.”
Much of this season of “American Idol” was shot remotely due to the coronavirus pandemic, with contestants filmed from home since the top 20 round to follow social distancing measures. JB
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