Emma Busse, a musical theatre student from Burnaby, B.C., earned a golden ticket on Sunday’s episode of American Idol – but it took some w-w-w-w-work.
Judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan challenged the 20-year-old singer (and Mila Kunis doppelgänger) to lose her vibrato.
“Get all that Broadway out of you! You can be saved from the [thespians],” said Perry. “You’re so talented. You’re really on the cusp of crossing over and I’m so glad you came to us before you chose to make your blood oath. You’ve got to unlearn some stuff.”
After performing a showy version of Elton John’s “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” Busse was tasked with singing “Happy Birthday” without the vibrato.
She earned three votes and was put through to the Hollywood Week round of competition.
Busse, who graduated last year from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City, auditioned for the Idol judges in Las Vegas last September. Her mother Rina is a classically trained singer and stage performer who teaches musical theatre in Burnaby.
In 2020, Busse sang Labrinth’s “Jealous” and won a talent competition at Notre Dame Regional Secondary School. One of the judges gushed: “Your vibrato is gorgeous. I think you’re a master and you’re going to succeed. You’re obviously a star … I think you’ve got a bright future ahead of you.”
Earlier this season, 17-year-old Tyson Venegas of Port Moody, B.C. blew away the judges and earned a Platinum ticket, which lets him bypass the first round of Hollywood Week.
American Idol started allowing Canadians to compete in its 18th season. B.C. singer Lauren Spencer-Smith became the first Canadian to make it to the Top 20 of Idol but she was eliminated in the first viewers-voted round.
In 2021, Ontario’s Heather Russell and Lorand Kis earned golden tickets at their auditions but didn’t make it past Hollywood Week.
And last season, Cameron Whitcomb of Kamloops, B.C., Toronto university student Nicolina Bozzo and Toronto-born Leah Marlene made it into the Top 24. Marlene made it all the way to the Season 20 finale.
Early winners of American Idol found fame and fortune (Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood) – as did several competitors who didn't win (Adam Lambert, Jennifer Hudson, Gabby Barrett) – but winners from recent seasons have struggled to breakout.