‘American Idol’: Julia Gagnon earns third and final Platinum Ticket for Season 22 [WATCH]

Denton Davidson
·3 min read
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“American Idol” had fans buzzing Sunday night when Julia Gagnon, the final audition for Season 22, had judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie gobsmacked after her rendition of Aretha Franklin‘s hit “Ain’t No Way.” Watch the 21-year-old from Cumberlan, Maine’s audition below.

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“I was born in Guatemala,” Julia explained before she started to sing. “When I was two years old I was adopted out of the orphanage and brought to Maine. Growing up in Maine, when I was younger, was a dream come true. It was picture perfect, there was snow at Christmas and warm summers. It was all amazing. When I entered the school systems it became different. I got bullied a lot. In Maine, not a lot of people look like me and it was really hard to deal with. I don’t think I’ve ever found a place where I feel like I fit in, but I have found my support in life and that is my family.”

When Julia was 18 years old her father hired a private investigator to find her birth family in Guatemala. “I did find them,” she explained. “When they found my birth mom she wrote me a letter. She thanked God that my parents raised me for her, but she was very apologetic and she did let me know that she didn’t want me to go, but she was happy that she did. The life that she could have given me wouldn’t have been anything compared to the ones that my real parents have given me. She said she would love to live to see me do something big.”

SEE ‘American Idol’: Odell Bunton Jr. receives first Platinum Ticket for Season 22 [WATCH]

To kick that dream off, Julia sang one big song, “Ain’t No Way,” for her audition. “Did that come out of your mouth?” Lionel asked. “You’ve got several soul singers that are inside of you,” Katy added. “You could go really far. You could be Top 10.” Lionel added more compliments, stating, “I grew up with Aretha Franklin. There are certain songs you just don’t sing because you just can’t touch the original. You just made it not only your song, but you did things that are just beyond. That was absolutely outstanding.”

The judges quickly agreed to give Julia a golden ticket to Hollywood, but after the young singer left the room they decided to upgrade her. They met with Julia and her family outside to explain to her they had one more Platinum Ticket for Season 22 and it now belongs to Julia. Will Julia be a Top 10 finalist like Katy predicted? Hollywood Week begins Sunday, March 31 on ABC.

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