Contestants brave New York City cold for shot at becoming next 'American Idol'
MANHATTAN, New York City (WABC) -- The search is back on to find the next "American Idol."
Dozens of contestants were not bothered by the cold weather as they gathered in Manhattan Monday to try and win over the judges for a golden ticket to Hollywood Week.
The judges have said the level of musicianship was remarkably high during the show's first season on ABC, but skill and perfect pitch are not enough. The "American Idol" panel is looking for contestants with that extra unique quality.
This is not the first round of auditions, so the contestants have been engaged in this process for months already.
"We auditioned in Philly, and next step, we did a video audition for executive producers," contestant Jahmez said. "Following, we auditioned on Skype to get an e-mail to be here today."
Another contestant, Allie Gorenc, sang "Respect" by Aretha Franklin.
"Showing some love to the Queen of Soul," she said. "And yeah, I am so excited to be here."
For more on the audition process, visit ABC.go.com/shows/american-idol/auditions.
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