'American Idol' Season 18: Franklin Boone has what it takes 'to rule the world' and rest of the rounds
Franklin Boone, the impressive husky-voiced singer-songwriter, looked shy and unassuming in the previous rounds of this competition, but you wouldn't have known it from looking at his rendition on April 26 when he performed the Tears For Fears classic 'Everybody Wants to Rule The World'.
The 28-year-old music teacher from Durham, North Carolina native had such a powerful performance that he rivaled the likes of charismatic frontrunners like Jovin Webb and Olivia Ximines, who are known for their explosive stage presence. He even brought a little attitude and Alejandro Aranda-style magic to proceedings with his gorgeous voice and sheer confidence in his undoubted talent. He was hitting his high notes perfectly, displayed both power and lovely textures in his voice, and overall nailed his home rendition, cheered on by his friends and family.
The latest episode of 'American Idol' had its very first voting round via a remote access stay-at-home edition. The Top 20 contestants performed from the comfort of their homes via satellite link, with the host Ryan Seacrest, mentor Bobby Bones and judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan all critiquing their performances from their respective homes. Richie said he had the look, the voice and the presentation factor all locked in and Boone certainly looked like a bonafide star with his dreadlocks and soulful vocals. Perry said she was getting emotional and might even cry, which might have been a rather hysterical image, considering she was dressed as a hand sanitizer for the night. And Bryan said he had chill bumps and was really wowed by Franklin's moving rendition. It was the perfect performance from the talented singer on Sunday night, with everything working perfectly in his favor.
One viewer said, "Franklin Boone has one of my favorite singing voices," while another said "He is so good! Love n voted for FranklinBoone!" More fans were saying "Franklin Boone is giving me John Mayer vibes. I would love a duet. Beautiful interpretation of a great classic pop song," and others were exclaiming, "Love that Franklin Boone added a little bit of his own vibe to that Tears for Fears cover. Plus, his tone is GORGEOUS."
If you would like to vote for Franklin Boone you can do so via text message or the 'American Idol' app. The ballot closes at 9 am on April 27, so make sure you cast your vote before that 12-hour window closes. Tune in next Sunday night for another round of exciting performances, when the house-confined singers will be singing songs that remind them of home. It promises to be pretty entertaining and break some new ground. See you next Sunday at 8 pm ET on ABC.