Lionel Richie tells an 18-year-old ‘American Idol’ contestant to 'get nasty': 'You just have to...'
'American Idol' is known to have cutthroat competition, with contestants coming from all over America to make a name for themselves. Colin Stough, hailing from Amory, Mississippi, gained a name for himself when he competed in season 21 of 'American Idol.' The Mississippi native was just 18 years old when he auditioned and wowed the judges with his performance. With a Southern charm that definitely resonated with Luke Bryan, Stough came for the auditions with shades on top of his hat and a guitar strapped to his shoulder. The moment the judges heard the young performer's accent, Katy Perry told Bryan, "You know how to handle this one."
Bryan then continued the conversation as he asked Stough what he does in his town. Stough replied, "You hang out, you know. You ride horses, make friends." Bryan was clearly amused by the young talent. Wanting to know more about him, Bryan finally urged Stough to begin his performance. The Southern-born American sang his rendition of 'Simple Man' by Lynyrd Skynyrd, which clearly struck a chord with the judges. Even Bryan, who's usually stoic with his emotions, was smiling and moving his hands in the air as Stough performed.
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As his performance ended, the judges applauded as Lionel Richie then stated, "You're holding up really well." The judges were clearly impressed by the raw talent the young individual had, as Bryan went on to exclaim, "What 'American Idol' is about." After a friendly back-and-forth with the 18-year-old, the judges unanimously gave Stough a yes as they said their iconic line, "You're going to Hollywood!" Fast forward to the top 12 round on April 30, 2023, and Stough is making quite a name for himself on the show. However, this was the episode where Stough got somewhat of an unusual remark from one of the judges. Owing to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-themed night episode, the Mississippi native chose to perform 'Midnight Rider' by The Allman Brothers Band.
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Stough's rendition was vocally charged and was clearly loved by the judges and the audience. However, the judges had some words of wisdom for the young vocalist, as Katy Perry remarked, "I think you're still in that growth stage, and I loved it for you. I want you to attack it with that feeling." Bryan resonated the sentiment as he said, "You need to make the hair move, make the body move. You do what the music and your vibe tell you to do." Stage presence is extremely important for singers, with Richie even stating on a live appearance on 'Live With Kelly and Mark,' "We’re not looking for singers. We’re looking for stylists,” as reported by Entertainment Now.
That said, Richie made somewhat of a blunt comment as he added, "I'm just trying to figure out a nice way to put it, and there's really no nice way to put it… I think what we want you to do is get nasty!" He continued putting emphasis on the word 'nasty.' "That is a nasty song, it's a nasty group, and you just have to get nasty if you're going to sing it!" As reported by The Sun, Stough shared these remarks with the guest judge Alanis Morissette as she seemed clearly shocked by the comment and simply stated, "Nasty?" Taken aback by the vagueness of the remark, Stough took the remark in good vein and worked on his vocals as he made his way to the finals.
