At the end of one “American Idol” contestant’s audition, all three judges were standing up clapping.
“We’ve been waiting for you,” judge Lionel Richie said.
Filo, born and raised in Egypt, performed “Try a Little Tenderness” by Otis Redding.
The performance also brought his mom to tears.
Although it was an obvious yes from all three judges Sunday night, they weren’t done there.
The judges later surprised him in the middle of Times Square on New Year’s Eve with the platinum ticket.
The singing competition introduced the platinum ticket for the show’s 20th season.
Those contestants who are granted the platinum ticket not only get to advance to Hollywood, like their gold-ticketed peers, but they also get to skip the first Hollywood round. The platinum tickets are awarded by judges based on contestants who stand out in their audition.
Click here to watch the full audition.
“American Idol” airs at 8 p.m. on Sunday.
