American Idol introduced the “Platinum ticket” for its 20th anniversary in 2022. It is a special prize for outstanding contestants. Those recipients of the platinum ticket move on to Hollywood and are given the opportunity to bypass the first round.
Judges select the lucky few who will receive the coveted ticket amongst all those who pass the regular auditions with a gold ticket.
Only one person in each city gets the Platinum Ticket.
Last season, the platinum tickets were granted to Kenedi Anderson, HunterGirl and Jay Copeland.
Platinum Ticket Winners
Tyson Venegas
Tyson Venegas, a Filipino-Canadian singer, received the first platinum ticket at his Las Vegas audition. After playing the piano and singing “New York State Of Mind” by Billy Joel and Tony Bennett, the young man earned a standing ovation from Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, and Luke Bryan.
Lionel joked that Tyson’s performance was so powerful it was hard to believe he’s only 17-years-old, saying to his mother Iris: “He’s claiming to be 17-years-old, but he’s performing like a 45-year-old.”
Kaylin Hedges
Kaylin Hedges, a 15-year-old from Pound Ridge, New York, performed an acoustic rendition of Lonestar’s “I’m Already There” in honor of her dad.
Her powerful, vibrato-filled performance elicited smiles from the judges—Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan—and even drew a physical reaction from Perry, who stood up during the song. As a result of her heartfelt performance, Hedges was granted a Platinum Ticket for Nashville.
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