It was supposed to be first-time American Idol contestant Julia Davo’s time to shine. Instead, her friend did — again.
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Season 17 finalist Alyssa Raghu waited outside the doors while her roommate performed David Bowie’s “Life on Mars.” The two women moved to Los Angeles together to pursue their musical dreams.
Davo, a Brooklyn, New York native, scored a yes from judge Lionel Richie, who drew parallels between the contestant and a young Lady Gaga. However, the 20-year-old waitress failed to win over judges Katy Perry and Luke Bryan.
“It needs to come back to Earth a little before it goes to Mars,” Perry said.
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Alyssa Raghu Auditions — Again
It could have ended there. But then Raghu came skipping into the audition room.
The Tucson, Arizona native was only 15 during her first go at American Idol, when she made season 16’s top 50. She returned for season 17, this time making it all the way to the final 8.
At first, it appeared Raghu was in the room solely for moral support. But the plot thickened when the Idol alum asked the judges if she could sing for them, “just for giggles.”
“Why not?” Perry said. “One last chance on the oval.”
After performing “My All” by Mariah Carey, the 21-year-old had an unusual request. “I have never competed on this show as an adult, so I don’t know if that’s out of the question,” she said.
While Perry was not on board, the now three-time contestant earned a yes from both Bryan and Richie.
‘American Idol’ Fans Slam Alyssa Raghu
Raghu’s vocals may have won over Bryan and Richie. However, she immediately became persona non grata among the online Idol community.
“if Barney the purple dinosaur was on Idol I would still vote for him over Alyssa Raghu,” one user wrote on X/Twitter.
Another X user added, “How many people auditioned this year & she’s in for the third time while her friend stands sadly by?”
Alyssa Raghu Speaks Out, Blames ‘Poor Editing’
The Hollywood-bound Raghu took to Instagram Monday (March 18) to air her side of the story. The Idol alum claimed she only walked into the room at the producers’ suggestion.
Raghu accused American Idol editors of manipulating conversations and omitting important details “to create a false narrative of betrayal.” She further claimed that the judges mentioned the possibility of Davo shadowing her during Hollywood Week, leading her to believe that her success was also her friend’s success.
“I was baited here into assuming that my audition was not only for myself, but rather to find a way for Julia to continue in this competition,” she said.
While there were a few supportive remarks in the comments of Raghu’s post, most weren’t convinced.
“No girl… you literally asked them to be on it again… Take accountability for what you did,” one user wrote.
Featured image by Michael Tran/FilmMagic
