Richard's Story Won Over The 'Idol' Judges

The American Idol Season 15 premiere is already bringing the talent and it's only day two of auditions. One contestant who brought his A-game? 15-year-old Cameron Richard. The Louisiana native quickly won over the judges — and the audience — with his authentic Louisiana accent and touching story before he even opened his mouth to sing. But when he did, he certainly blew the judges away even more. After a smooth rendition of Ed Sheeran's "Give Me Love," Richard earned a spot in the judges hearts and in the Hollywood Round.

Richard stood out to me from the moment he was introduced. It wasn't until he told his story, though, that I was really intrigued. The 15-year-old was born with a cleft palette and had surgery on it pretty early on. His doctors predicted that he may never speak, let alone sing. But he certainly proved them wrong. Not only can he speak well, Richard can sing like an angel. His tone was crisp and his notes were, for the most part, perfectly on pitch. His audition was so good that I audibly exclaimed "wow" at least three times throughout the minute he was singing. The kid has talent and he absolutely earned his ticket to Hollywood.

The big question is: Does Richard have what it takes to make it past the Hollywood Round? It's too soon to tell. It's only day two of auditions and there's already been some magnificent talent. This is guaranteed to be the most cut-throat season of Idol since it's the last. If Richard wants to stay in the game, he'll have to give 150% every performance. The Hollywood Rounds make or break a contestants shot at the title. If Richard can make it out of there, then he certainly has a shot at the title — but only time will tell.

Image: Michael Becker/FOX