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Internet dubs former 'American Idol' contestant Alyssa Raghu 'upstaging' BFF Julia Davo 'cruelest thing on live TV'

Alyssa Raghu, a past 'American Idol' contestant, side swipes her best friend Julia Davo to earn a golden ticket during Season 22 audition

TUSKEGEE, ALABAMA: Former 'American Idol' contestant Alyssa Raghu's friend Julia Davo auditioned and said that Julia and Alyssa relocated to Los Angeles together. Julia was told no, but the Season 22 judges invited Alyssa to come in, and things went terribly from there.

Julia, a 20-year-old waitress from Brooklyn, had recently moved to Los Angeles with her best friend and auditioned for 'American Idol' with the hopes of becoming "America's next female rock star." After a vibrato-heavy rendition of David Bowie's 'Life on Mars?' Unfortunately, Julia earned two "no" votes from Katy Perry and Luke Bryan.

However, Lionel Richie was on her side, saying, "I had the same feeling when I first saw Gaga." Despite his efforts, Lionel was unable to persuade his colleagues to support him.

Lionel's support for Julia was hardly the most startling aspect of this episode, however. Her aforementioned "best friend" was 21-year-old Alyssa, who had previously competed in 2018 and 2019 and finished in the top eight.

After reuniting with the judges, Alyssa fought for more screen time for herself: "I know you said my voice was going to grow until I was 21, and you said that when I was, like, 15. But just for giggles, I'd love to sing you something."

She sang Mariah Carey's 'My All' in a nice but not particularly memorable performance. Nonetheless, the judges praised Alyssa, with Katy saying, "You have grown!"

"I've never competed on the show as an adult, so I don't know if that's out of the question," she stated.

"I think you could go in. Do I think you could win it? No, personally," Katy said.

It was a "no" for the 'Firework' singer, but Lionel claimed they had nothing to lose. Luke liked "having her around" and was prepared to give her a chance.

Not exactly enthusiastic yeses, but a win is a win, right?

Giving Alyssa the Golden Ticket in front of Julia was particularly nasty. Imagine upstaging a bride on her wedding day.

To her credit, Julia was more encouraging than her best friend deserved, telling her, "You worked so hard for this."

'American Idol' fans call Julia x Alyssa audition 'cruelest thing' on live TV

On X, infuriated fans wrote, "Here's tonight's #AmericanIdol recap... tbh, this whole Julia Davo/Alyssa Raghu "plot twist" (staged or not), really pissed me off. Alyssa doesn't seem like a very good "best friend." Also, Julia was rad." Another user demanded, "Give Julia Davo a Golden Ticket. #AmericanIdol She deserves it!" 

One fan noted, "I could never do that to my best friend in a millions years.. Julia deserves better than that." A fourth person believed, "Ragu went in and stole her “bestie’s” audition!? Its giving fake friend. And the judges could have given Julia a ticket as well."

One angry viewer wrote, "really? would have liked to see Julia get a ticket over Raghu AGAIN whatever." Others described the situation as, "Y'all. I might have to go back to watching The Voice. What they just did with Alyssa Raghu and her friend Julia had to be the cruelest thing I've ever seen done on live TV. My God." 

Who is 'American Idol's Julia Davo?

The 20-year-old has a diversified background, including a strong European heritage. Julia's ethnicity may be traced back to her white ancestors, which have shaped her distinct traits and qualities.

Julia graduated from New York University in 2021 with a Bachelor's degree in Performing Arts. She is now thrilled to start her post-graduation career and pursue her passion for the performing arts.

Julia has achieved tremendous success on Spotify, with over 20,000 streams.

Julia has an amazing resume in the Broadway scene. She is only 20 years old but has already established herself as an actor, music artist, and model.

Who is 'American Idol's Alyssa Raghu?

Alyssa is an American singer/songwriter of Guyanese, Indian, and Mexican ancestry from Orlando, Florida. As a Top 8 contestant on 'American Idol', Alyssa demonstrated her abilities in Pop, Ballads, and R&B songs.

She was Katy's favorite and impressed the judges over her two seasons on the show. She has worked with well-known musicians such as Julia Michaels, Kane Brown, Lea Michelle, Cyndi Lauper, and Patti LaBelle.

Alyssa is no stranger to playing in front of enormous crowds, crowded stadiums, and live television. She was privileged to perform the National Anthem for the President of the United States and the Prime Minister of India.

Alyssa's multicultural upbringing, along with her classical music training, has earned her a place among today's most promising performers. Alyssa's ever-expanding social media presence includes entertaining, young, and accessible content that has her admirers coming back for more.

'American Idol' Season 22 airs on ABC on Sundays at 8 pm ET/PT.