‘American Idol’ Favorite Doug Kiker Is Shockingly Eliminated
It's time for the famed Hollywood Week on American Idol, and on Monday (Mar. 16) — while the town of Hollywood was real-time awash in a rainstorm and gloomily empty due to coronavirus concerns — but judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie were prepared to add a little fun to quarantine doldrums.
Fun, that is, except for fans of a certain country favorite contestant who had charmed the country on Season 18's premiere with a gap-toothed grin, sweetly naive musical approach, and the unashamed confession that his day job was as a sanitation worker — or, okay, yeah, as he himself put it, a garbage man — just trying to get by and raise his 2-year-old daughter.
The Truth About Doug Kiker:
Doug Kiker charmed millions of viewers to revisit his performance of Rascal Flatts' "God Bless the Broken Road," and it paved his way to Hollywood, but he unfortunately hit the end of the road quickly. Although he was just as emotionally affecting as before, noting "I never believed in myself enough to try something, and I'm starting to become who I want to be," and breaking down into tears several times discussing his love for his child and how he wants to prove to her that "her daddy is so much more than meets the eye," his performance simply didn't measure up to scratch.
"I just don't want to let my family down," he said shakily through tears, prior to stepping on stage. "This is one step further to changing my family's life....I've been a good man all my life."
While nobody would question his sincerity, the a cappella song choice of "Ain't No Mountain" was out of tune, a bit on the screechy side, and altogether wasn't quite up to scratch. "He had trouble staying in key," observed Bryan. Both Perry and Richie agreed reluctantly. "I love him, but...." noted Perry.
In the end, Kiker couldn't cut it, having pitted against fellow country category talent Lauren Mascitti (who did Crystal Gayle's "Don't it Make My Brown Eyes Blue"), Grace Leer ("Unchained Melody) and Hannah Prestridge (Miranda Lambert's "Over You"). There will definitely be country involved in the following weeks, but alas, Kiker won't be an ambassador of the genre.
American Idol airs on Sundays at 8 PM ET.
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