“American Idol” is resuming auditions, but amid the coronavirus pandemic, they will be held remotely, ABC announced Friday.
This allows the usual “Idol Across America” tour to expand out and include all 50 states plus Washington, D.C. — for the first time since the show’s inception. Auditions for the upcoming fourth season on the Alphabet network begin Aug. 10, and this time around, hopeful contestants can perform across any official audition date.
Those auditioning will still receive “face time” with a show producer — just digitally. This allows everyone to still receive feedback in real time. The show will use custom-built Zoom technology to host this nationwide search for the next singing sensation.
While this is the first time the show will be holding auditions this way, “Idol” is no stranger to remote production, having finished it most recent season that way. Contestants performed from their various homes, with the show’s crew and technicians working to make sure each person had as equal a singing field as possible, despite being spread out geographically and having different access to technology, let alone internet speeds for streaming and uploading. The at-home finale helped ABC rank as the No. 1 network of that May Sunday night, winning the coveted 18-49 demo and drawing almost 7.3 million total viewers tuning in live.
That season was won by Just Sam.
“American Idol” is produced by Fremantle and Industrial Media’s 19 Entertainment. Fremantle’s Trish Kinane serves as showrunner; Jennifer Mullin and Megan Wolflick also executive produce with 19 Ent.’s Eli Holzman and Aaron Saidman. Fremantle distributes the series worldwide.
The fourth season of “American Idol” on ABC is set for spring 2021. See below for the full list of “Idol Across America” auditions (subject to change).
Delaware, Florida and Ohio (Aug. 10)
Louisiana, Missouri and Wisconsin (Aug. 12)
Arizona, Oregon and Washington (Aug. 14)
Georgia, Maryland, Washington D.C. and Rhode Island (Aug. 16)
Open Call Auditions (Aug. 17)
Alabama, Arkansas and Kansas (Aug. 18)
Idaho, New Mexico and Utah (Aug. 20)
Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Texas (Aug. 22)
Michigan, Tennessee and Virginia (Aug. 24)
Open Call Auditions (Aug. 25)
Iowa, Mississippi and Oklahoma (Aug. 26)
Illinois, Indiana and Minnesota (Aug. 28)
Connecticut, New Jersey and New York (Aug. 30)
Colorado, Montana, Nevada and Wyoming (Sept. 1)
Maine, South Carolina and West Virginia (Sept. 3)
Alaska, California and Hawaii (Sept. 5)
Kentucky, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania (Sept. 7)
Massachusetts, North Carolina and Vermont (Sept. 9)