'American Idol' Season 18: Lauren Spencer-Smith grabs judges' attention with her vocals and a picturesque view
The latest episode of 'American Idol' just premiered this Sunday night on the ABC network, giving us plenty of entertainment and insight into the talented singers who make up this season's competition, like the young Lauren Spencer-Smith. We're now into the Top 20 voting round of the singing contest and for the first time ever, we're seeing the contestants vie for the viewing public's votes from the safety and comfort of their homes, due to the restrictions imposed by the ongoing coronavirus. This might actually benefit some of these young contestants because it gives them a chance to avoid the distractingly glitzy tricks of Hollywood and focus on their natural musical gifts instead.
16-year-old Lauren Spencer-Smith from Nanaimo, Vancouver is certainly an incredible, preternatural talent. Choosing to sing Jessie J's hit 'Mamma Knows Best', the young diva pulled a top-drawer performance out of her arsenal. The Canadian teenager is blessed with a beautiful voice, capable of hitting sweet, delicate notes and then gunning for the power notes with equal ease and devastating efficiency. She certainly looked the part tonight as well - she was dressed like a glamorous star, wearing a lovely houndstooth dress and also gave us some breathtaking views of her lakeside Vancouver Island home. She gets the brownie points tonight for her pitch-perfect rendition and her picturesque home landscape.
The three judges, appearing from their respective homes via satellite feeds, were also completely enthralled by her rendition. Katy Perry commented on how impressive it was that she was growing and maturing even during a quarantine period and she said she'd never sounded better. Luke Bryan told Lauren that her voice kept getting better and better, and observed that none of the nuances in her voice went unnoticed tonight, because there were no screaming crowds present to mask the sheer quality of her voice. Lionel Richie was also equally effusive, applauding her growth and attitude, saying "I felt that you felt that song," before cheekily adding that he was somewhat jealous of her beautiful hometown lake view.
Lauren's fans were also crowing about her amazing performance and home on social media as well. "Okay, Lauren Spencer-Smith got my attention. Good job!" said one impressed viewer, while another fan said that the "fantastic" teen was performing "beyond her years." Others were predicting guaranteed progress for her, saying, "Watch out for Lauren Spencer Smith. A definite finalist," and one admirer was so floored that they said, "If I was Lauren Spencer-Smith I wouldn’t know what to do with myself... her voice is stupid unreal."
If you'd like to vote for Lauren, make sure you do it soon via text message or the American Idol app, because the voting window closes at 9 am ET on April 27. Make sure you tune in next Sunday night at 8 pm ET on the ABC network to catch more amazing performances on 'American Idol'.