Todrick Hall auditioned for American Idol with an original song, a ploy that almost never works. Other than Larry Platt’s ‘Pants On The Ground’, we can’t think of another original song that actually impressed the AI judges until tonight.

He’s a genuine singer, perhaps the best of the season so far and already with Broadway experience. He has previously performed in The Color Purple’ alongside former AI star Fantasia Barrino.

Randy Jackson said, “Dude, I think you’re one of the best I’ve seen in season 9.”

Guest judge Joe Jonas said that Todrick had “star power,” but Simon Cowell wasn’t raving, calling it a “cutesy” audition and adding “Voice-wise, I’m not jumping out of my chair.”