'American Idol' recap: Nashville nurse 'melts' Lionel Richie's heart

Sunday’s “American Idol” kicked off with a singer trying to follow in her father’s musical footsteps.

Kimmy Gabriela, 17, used music to connect with her Venezuelan and Dominican heritage. Gabriela’s rendition of “Let’s Hurt Tonight” by OneRepublic impressed the judges, and the fact that she could also sing in Spanish helped encourage judge Katy Perry to throw a golden ticket her way.

“This is some Top 10 material,” said judge Lionel Richie.

Also Top 10 material was Lauren Mascitti, 27, who brought her fiancé, country music songwriter Shawn Camp. Mascitti also brought a country twang in her voice, singing an original song, “If I Could Lose You,” with Camp supporting her on guitar. A nurse by day, she grew up with her grandparents and moved to Nashville to pursue her dreams as a musician.

Nashville was also where judges suggested 24-year-old contestant Ryan Harmon go. A podcaster of country music, Harmon brought a deep Southern drawl in an original, “I Knew This Would Happen,” that belonged more at the Grand Ole Opry than in Hollywood. A humble guy just as happy going to the Golden Corral as he was getting a golden ticket, Harmon said that it was the best "no" he’s ever received.

Jared Lettow, 26, who's often mistaken for actor/singer Jared Leto, taught the judges how to yodel, but it was a “nodel” for them.

Meanwhile, Isaiah Grass, 29, brought flamboyance and style to his performance. Looking like he stepped off the set of Ben Stiller's “Zoolander,” Grass brought along his manager, agent and best friend, and a karaoke machine. Grass had a beautiful voice in his take of “Take on Me” by a-ha, hitting highs and lows, but the judges felt he was better suited for theater.

Courtney Timmons, 22, almost lost her big chance. Missing the signup for auditions, Timmons sat on the corner waiting for the other contestants to clear out when host Ryan Seacrest found her. Realizing this was her dream, he offered to take her straight to the judges for the chance to perform. Timmons sung “Rise Up” by Andra Day, which made both Perry and Seacrest tear up.

“We love curve balls at ‘American Idol,’ because sometimes they turn into American idols,” said Perry, who had passed Timmons early in the day without realizing the power of her voice.

DeWayne Crocker Jr., 23, not only impressed the judges with his cover of Bobby McFerrin’s “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” – he provided a unique spin with alternating highs and lows – but he helped his grandmother meet Richie, her idol. Richie danced with her as she recounted how she met Crocker’s grandfather as one of Richie’s songs played in the background.

Joining Crocker with her own ticket to Hollywood was Lauren Spencer Smith, 16, who sung Pink’s “What About Us”; Shannon Gibbons, 20, who sang Etta James’ “I'd Rather Go Blind”; and Geena, 27, who sang an original called “Don’t Want You Back.” Singing since the age of 4, Gibbons had a powerful, moving voice. Music has helped her deal with depression, and the song conveyed her emotions.

A superfan of judge Katy Perry, Geena stood out from the crowd with her orange jacket, hiding her face behind a hat and glasses. But she even got the judges to sing along to her lyrics.

Dillon James, 26, came onstage looking like a mix between a country music star and a rapper. His upper torso was covered in tattoos, signifying the hardships he went through in life. James had dealt with alcohol and substance abuse and was homeless at one point, sleeping in a parking structure. But with the help of his family, he managed to turn it around. James' cover of Bob Dylan’s “Make You Feel My Love” was haunting.

“You gave us this story of surrender," Richie said. "Whatever you were doing was the wrong direction, and you stopped and turned around. For you to interpret a song like that and make us feel that your song is everything.”

The evening closed with a bit of sadness as Genavieve Linkowski, 20, returned to the stage. Linkowski auditioned two years ago, but was eliminated during the Hollywood round. She returned to share the sad news that her sister, who had supported her during her last audition, had died in a car wreck.

Linkowski channeled this pain into a cover of Michael Bolton’s “How Am I Supposed to Live Without You” that moved the judges to tears. They all agreed as they gave her the golden ticket that it was in honor of Linkowski’s sister.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'American Idol' recap: Emotion, sadness and second chance auditions