Tyanna Earned the Final Ticket to Hollywood

The American Idol auditions have finally come to an end and we're heading to the craziness that is Hollywood week — but not until 16-year-old Tyanna Jones can snag the last ticket. And it is certainly well-deserved. Jones has the kind of the story that makes you realize why Idol exists in the first place — for people with big dreams and few resources to break into the music industry. Jones is a clear example of that. And not only does she want to be a star — she deserves to be one.

Being raised in a very Christian family, Jones spent a lot of her time growing up in church. The first song she performed at age five was fittingly "Joyful, Joyful" from Sister Act 2. For those who don't know, that song is pretty hard to master — I once sang it at a Christmas concert — so the fact that she was singing at five proves she was destined for greatness. Though Jones is from Jacksonville, Florida, she and her mom flew all the way to San Francisco to audition because it was the only spot left once her mom finally got the money together. Plane tickets are not cheap, so Tyanna's mom is clearly a pretty special lady if she would spend a large amount of money just to make her daughter's dream come true.

And the trip was certainly not a waste. Jones killed her rendition of "Wings" by Little Mix and earned some really high praises from the judges. They were even impressed by her hip style — which reminded me a lot of Bruno Mars — and sass, which made her performance even better. After hearing all of the auditions, Jones' was by far one of the best. Her voice is full, mature, and powerful, and she has the character to match. If she can beat out the rest of the competition in Hollywood, she's bound to go make it far in this game.

Image: YouTube - American Idol