Who is Micaela McCall? 'American Idol' Season 22 star leaves Katy Perry in tears with her 'high notes'
SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA: 'American Idol' Season 22 contestant Micaela McCall, a music teacher from Santa Barbara, originally from Centerville, Ohio, imparts her passion for music at DeTar Music. Her musical journey began at a young age, evident in a YouTube video with her brother uploaded 13 years ago.
A former member of Forte A Cappella, Micaela contributed to the group's success as a runner-up for the best original scholastic song at the 2013 Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards. Anticipated to make waves, Micaela is set to debut her original single, 'Milk and Honey'. The talented singer gained internet fame when her TikTok video showcasing her rendition of 'I Dreamed a Dream' from 'Les Mis' went viral.
She shared, "We were filmed busking on State Street in a parking garage and then it got like 800k views." During the 'American Idol' Season 22 audition, Micaela performed 'Signed, Sealed, Delivered' by Stevie Wonder. However, Katy broke down in tears as soon as Micaela hit the high note saying, "I love Santa Barbara."
Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie were equally impressed by Micaela's performance, leading to a standing ovation from all three ABC show judges. Katy Perry expressed her emotions, saying, "I was crying because I'm so proud of this town! And just like I've never heard that song that way." Luke was also impressed with Micaela and shared, "You just sing. It's so free."
He added, "And don't know why you haven't already had a massive amount of success but you're here, you're with us now and could you sing the rest of the afternoon?" However, Lionel chimed in the conversation and noted, "I know what happened. The universe was saving her for us."
Katy Perry connects with Micaela McCall over 'busking'
'American Idol' Season 22 contestant Micaela McCall shared her busking experience on the streets, and Katy Perry resonated with her own past. Micaela mentioned meeting her singing partner Keith while busking, triggering memories for Katy. She said, "Oh, busking on the street," recalling her own busking days in Santa Barbara. Luke Bryan humorously added, "She got paid in avocados." However, Micaela agreed that she was also paid in avocados with Katy adding, "It's normal. It's a Southern California thing."
Katy further elaborated, "I know exactly what it feels like to busk on those streets and be a background singer and get paid in avocados and then stand in front of one person and all it took was one person to see me." She added, "Then all of a sudden, my life has changed and all of a sudden it's so wonderful."
Did Micaela McCall receive a platinum ticket to Hollywood?
'American Idol' Season 22 contestant Micaela McCall earned unanimous approval from judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie, securing three 'yes' votes. While she didn't receive a platinum ticket, Micaela advanced to Hollywood Week, holding a golden ticket. Excited about the achievement, she shared her joy on social media, posting a video expressing disbelief and another Instagram photo with the caption, "Holy GUACAMOLE!!! So thrilled to share this journey with you!!! Come to Hollywood with me." Fans can anticipate more of her performances in the upcoming episodes.
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Catch new episodes of 'American Idol' Season 22 every Sunday at 8 pm ET on ABC. The new episodes will be available to stream next day on Hulu.