American Idol Curve Ball

History was made during last night’s episode of American Idol when a young woman was brought up to the audition room by host Ryan Seacrest despite her missing the deadline.

Ryan spotted Courtney Timmons, a 22-year-old security guard from Harris Neck, Georgia, sitting outside the building on the stoop, so he decided to make an exception for her and let her perform for judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan. Following her pitch-perfect rendition of Andra Day’s “Rise Up,” Ryan’s eyes filled up with tears and Katy proclaimed, “You’re probably the best singer we’ve seen today.” Luke was so impressed that he asked Ryan, “Are you we being punked?”

“Hold on,” Katy interjected. “Before this show started I saw her sitting outside on the sidewalk. I thought you were just kind of a fan of the show. You can sing.”

And Lionel chimed in, “No, no, no. You can sang. There’s a difference between singing and sanging. You are a bird, girl.”

Katy called Courtney’s surprise audition a “magical moment” and then sent her to Hollywood on the spot without even conducting a normal vote.

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Meanwhile, Katy was in a lovey dovey mood as she returned to the building where Orlando Bloom proposed to her on Valentine’s Day last year. “He asked me to marry him on a helicopter, and we landed the helicopter actually on this rooftop,” she told her fellow judges. “I just am feeling all the feelings. … My whole family and friends, he had surprised me. Everyone was wearing matching sweaters. It was really sweet. It was so beautiful – all in this room. I’m happy to celebrate it again.”

Apparently the USC Tower is a lucky location. When 26-year-old contestant Jordan Jones auditioned with a soulful version of the Cure’s “Lovesong,” he not only scored a golden ticket but put a ring on the left hand of his girlfriend Leaira. Katy exclaimed, “This room is blessed, this room is union, this room is love!” as she and Jordan’s brand-new fiance compared giant engagement rocks.

The contestants making the trip to Hollywood:

• Kimmy Gabriela, 17 (Lakeland, Florida) “Let’s Hurt Tonight” by OneRepublic
• Jordan Jones, 26 (Scottsdale, Arizona) “Lovesong by The Cure
• Lauren Mascitti, 27 (Nashville, Tennessee) “If I Can Lose You” by Lauren Mascitti & Renee Martin
• Courtney Timmons, 22 (Harris Neck, Georgia) “Rise Up” by Andra Day
• Lauren Spencer-Smith, 16 (Vancouver Island, British Columbia) “What About Us” by Pink
• Dewayne Crocker, Jr., 23 (Pensacola, Florida) “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” by Bobby McFerrin
• Dillon James, 26 (Bakersfield, California) “Make You Feel My Love” by Bob Dylan
• Geena, 27 (Los Angeles, California) “Don’t Want You Back” by Geena
• Shannon Gibbons, 20 (Bellport, New York) “I’d Rather Go Blind” by Etta James
• Genavieve Linkowski, 20 (Goodrich, Michigan) “How Am I Supposed to Live Without You” by Michael Bolton
• Amelia Joyce, 23 (Phoenix, Arizona) “Yesterday” by The Beatles
• Erin Kirby, 16 (Atlanta, Georgia) “Who You Are” by Jesse J