'American Idol' contestant who cheated death 9 times in car crash makes Lionel Richie sob

 Nothing could stop Elijah McCormack from getting his golden ticket on" American Idol" – not indeed several close  hassles with death.   The long-  handling singing competition returned to ABC Sunday night with a  competitor telling judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie that he'd to miss trying out for the show back in 2019 after suffering a serious auto accident that left him  demanding to relearn how to walk and talk.

McCormack, a 21- time-old ophthalmologist technician from Raeford, North Carolina, said he flatlined nine times after the fiery crash, which  passed hours after his  scale  form. Before the accident, his  mama  had  inked him up to try out for" American Idol."  " The last thing I flash back  is dropping my friend off at her house, and I was only a afar down from home," McCormack said, adding he spent  nearly 80 days in the sanitarium and  passed about 10 procedures, including open heart surgery.   “ His first question to me( after the accident) was, ‘ Momma, can I still sing? ’" his  mama  said.

Elijah McCormack compared to late' Idol' legend Willie Spence after stunning Devil Flatts cover  McCormack can  surely still sing. He blew the judges down and brought Richie to gashes with his rendition of" Bless the Broken Road" by Devil Flatts.   Bryan and Richie said McCormack's voice  incontinently reminded them of another" Idol" legend Willie Spence, who finished in alternate place on Season 19 and  failed in a auto crash in October 2022.

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“ The last person that I saw approach singing like you was Willie Spence," Bryan said.   Richie added" That’s what got me. You hit one of those notes, and I allowed             of Willie, and from  also on I could n’t recover."   American Idol' Katy Perry shouts America has' failed us' at  academy firing survivor's investigation

Richie also told McCormack that" God brought you back nine times for you to do  commodity amazing."  " I am so glad you ’re then with us, and that was just one of the moments in my life I'll  noway  forget," he continued.   Perry assured the  songster this is" the  morning of your story." " I ca n’t believe you came to us," she said." You ’re just then fulfilling your  fortune. This was always meant to be."   After McCormack earned his three affirmatives, Perry  fooled" He is top 10 for sure."   Katy Perry gets tough on' accidental'' American Idol' Sara Beth

 Sometimes on" Idol," a judge will show a  competitor tough love to get them to rise to their  eventuality.   That is what Perry did during Sara Beth's investigation, when the 25- time-old  mama  of three from California confessed she did not know if singing professionally was her" dream."  " Literally, I am still recycling," the flustered  competitor said." I can not indeed answer. This is so  important."   She sang" You Know I am No Good" by Amy Winehouse,  inspiring some coaching from Perry, who said," Come on, we need  further," during the song.

" That is not enough," Perry said, when the song finished, before telling her to try Elton John's" Bennie and the spurts."  " It's not her dream yet," Perry said." Show us what your voice can do. Take it to the limit. No looking back. Sing it like it's your new dream."   Sara Beth gave it her all on the John song, showing off some raspy tones and a fierce belt." I feel like I am gon na pass out," she blatted after the song, taking a deep breath. The song got a standing acclamation from Bryan.

" Accidental' American Idol,'" Perry  fooled." Look, if it's not your dream, it's not going to go far, because I also admire everyone that is walking through that door who'll lay down their life for this golden ticket," Perry continued.   Sara Beth got a no from Richie, but two yes votes from Bryan and Perry,  transferring her to Hollywood. But some" Idol"  suckers wrote on Twitter they though Perry was too hard on the  youthful  mama .

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" I really don't like how Katy Perry just treated Sara Beth on#AmericanIdol,"@EyezrStarry wrote." They let Katy Perry bully this woman on live  public  television before she indeed started singing. So  unattractive."  " A  youthful  mama  following a dream while raising her children should be raised up not put down,"@ceefreeski wrote.  " Katy Perry being the mean girl to Sara Beth,"@LoveLundyReal wrote." Come back down to reality."

Is Preston Duffee the coming Luke Bryan? Katy Perry thinks so Contestant Preston Duffee has also  educated  difficulty. The 21- time-old South Carolina  occupant told the judges about his  mama 's death by  self-murder which redounded in a period of homelessness for his family.  " Just because you ’re suicidal or depressed does n’t make you weak," Duffee said." It jumps on people, and when it comes around you ca n’t help it."   He performed a vulnerable original song called" commodity To Write About" which earned high praise from the judges." Songwriting is a skill, and you nailed that," Richie said.

' American Idol' premiere Katy Perry breaks down in investigation  devoted to late Willie Spence   Perry told Bryan to watch out Duffee may be coming for his  suckers.  " I just feel like I ’m looking at a  youthful Luke Bryan, ” she said, to which Duffee replied" The ladies at church call me Luke."  " Man, you ’ve got a really bright future as a  tunesmith, and your voice will grow and be stronger," Bryan said.   Duffee earned a golden ticket.