When most “American Idol” contenders want to show the judges a different side of themselves, they try out a new genre. MKY, on the other hand, switched up more than his musical style—he opted for a different language.
The Mexican-American artist performed “Sabor a Mí” by Luis Miguel, singing entirely in Spanish for Sunday night’s episode of the competition. After surviving the “Idol arena” challenge in last Monday’s episode, which whittled down the number of contestants from 144 to 62, the remaining singers had to compete in the “showstoppers” round of Hollywood week, which tests their ability to stand out from their peers.
For MKY, that meant sharing and honoring his Mexican-American roots. With members of his family cheering in the audience, the Los Angeles singer stepped onstage with an acoustic guitar and a powerful piece of his culture.
“‘Sabor a Mí’ is such a huge staple song of the culture, and it means a lot to me to be able to sing in Spanish on ‘American Idol,‘” he said before the performance. “I’ve waited my whole life for this opportunity. I’m hoping I can pull it off and maybe just show a different side of me.”
Among the judging panel of Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood, and Luke Bryan, both Underwood and Richie were particularly impressed.
“That was a bold song choice,” said Underwood, who also noted MKY’s strong guitar playing.
“This was our first look at him with an audience,” Richie added, referencing the audible support of MKY’s family.
