The Season 24 premiere of American Idol officially kicked off a brand-new search for the next breakout star, as Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie, and Carrie Underwood welcomed the newest class of hopefuls to Idol University in Nashville.

With nerves running high and dreams even higher, contestants stepped onto the historic Belmont University campus hoping to earn that all-important Golden Ticket — and maybe take the first step toward becoming the next American Idol.

Now in its ninth season on ABC (following the show’s original 15-season run on Fox from 2002 to 2016), the long-running competition once again delivered emotional stories, big voices, and a few early standouts worth watching. Ryan Seacrest returned as host, as he has every season since American Idol launched in 2002.

Below, we break down the night’s most memorable auditions — followed by a full list of singers who punched their tickets to Hollywood.

Keyla Richardson

“Music wasn’t a natural passion for me. I knew I could sing — everyone around me believed in me but me,” admits Keyla Richardson, a 29-year-old teacher from Pensacola, Fla. “I wanted to play basketball.”

“I’ve been a music teacher for about six years,” she shared in her intro reel. “When those kids step into my classroom, I see myself. I grew up in the church and grew up singing, but I always felt like I wasn’t good enough. Nobody saw me. Nobody heard me. I had to make up my mind and say, ‘You can do this. Whatever you put your mind to, you can do.’”

“My son means the world to me — he’s all I’ve got and he’s my best friend,” she added. “Because of him, I’m here, and I will never give up.”

Keyla performed Pink’s “Glitter in the Air” for the judges, almost instantly bringing a tear to Luke’s eye — though Carrie encouraged her to hold back just a little.

After taking their advice, Keyla started again, this time slowing down and letting the moment breathe. The adjustment paid off, as she quickly won over the panel with her growth and control.

“We love her,” Carrie told Keyla’s son after he joined them in the audition room.

“You see what your momma made me do?” Luke said through tears before turning back to Keyla. “You have a voice that will make people stop in their tracks. I got snot going on! I can’t believe you’re 29 and you haven’t been in our lives yet.”

With that, Keyla was handed her Golden Ticket to Hollywood.

Khloe Grace

The most emotional audition of the night was saved for last. Heather Wyatt approached the judges’ table to explain that she was not a contestant, but wanted to introduce them to Khloe Grace — a 15-year-old singer who had written an original song in honor of Heather’s daughter, Aubreigh, who died by suicide in 2023.

“I first heard Khloe’s song about a year ago,” Heather shared. “I immediately cried. It was beautiful. It captured everything Aubreigh went through. She is my forever 13-year-old daughter — bright, beautiful, and talented — and she endured years of bullying and social media pressure. She took her life on Sept. 4, 2023.”

Khloe had never met Aubreigh, but after learning her story, she couldn’t get it out of her head. The audition marked the first time Khloe met Aubreigh’s mother in person.

Following the performance, Carrie was visibly shaken as tears filled her eyes.

“I’m so moved,” Lionel said. “That’s a gift right there. That’s God looking back at you.”

Letting the tears go, Carrie added, “The maturity you possess is quite incredible. The way you had your heart broken for someone you didn’t even know — and then took that pain and said something positive is going to come out of it. Maybe people who hear this song will decide to change their mind about something. It’s pretty incredible.”

After a quiet moment, the judges delivered an enthusiastic “yes,” sending Khloe through to Hollywood.