American Idol judges give standing ovation to Vietnamese immigrant, comparing her to past winner Kelly Clarkson
- Myra Tran wowed judges, Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan, with her rendition of One Night Only by Idol alum Jennifer Hudson
- Judges compared the teen’s voice to Clarkson, who won the first ever American Idol
Myra Tran decided to keep it in the American Idol family when she auditioned for ABC’s singing competition.
The 19-year-old Vietnamese immigrant became an instant front runner in Sunday’s season two premiere with her stirring, soulful rendition of One Night Only, performed by Idol alum Jennifer Hudson in the 2006 film musical Dreamgirls.
Wide-eyed in disbelief, judges Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan high-fived and jumped to their feet immediately following the powerhouse performance, comparing Tran to original Idol Kelly Clarkson, who won the show’s first season on Fox in 2002.
“You’re up there with the Kelly Clarksons of the world; that’s the only way that I can say it,” Bryan said.
“There’s nothing we can compare you to,” Richie raved. “You have stepped into a zone that’s yours, and what I want you to do from now on is rule your zone.”