Kenzie Hall is the traditional American teenager. She's a junior in high school in Utah, one of her favorite films is Titanic, and she likes to jam out to Macklemore's "Thrift Shop." However, what separates her from the rest of the teenage population in America is while they blast the song in their cars, Kenzie raps it live on television during Wednesday night's episode of American Idol.
Hall took the stage during the first round of Hollywood Week Wednesday night clutching her guitar. With her blonde curls and bubblegum candor, we immediately had an eerie flashback to Taylor Swift's music video for "Teardrops on My Guitar." When Kenzie started singing the Macklemore breakout chart-topper and her airy tone hit the mic, we mistook her for the distant cousin of Ellie Goulding.
So far, the performance was good and we were intrigued. Hall managed to turn the famous male-sung pop hit into a sultry, feminine acoustic, which was quite an impressive feat. All of the sudden, she hit us with Macklemore's rap as speedy as the original while simultaneously plucking away at the guitar. In that moment, we were sold. Kenzie Hall has star quality.
After that performance, Hall is one of our picks to win the entire competition. With her stunning looks, obvious talent, and brilliant ability to perform with a twist, she appears to be the perfect package for America's next pop star.
The show's history tells us that contestants who think outside the box are often far more triumphant —remember Katharine McPhee's acoustic performance of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" while laying on the floor shoeless? Remember when Adam Lambert turned Donna Summer's disco classic, "If I Can't Have You?" into an even slower ballad? Candace Glover's bluesy rendition of "Lovesong"? We still do, even years and years later.
The point is that American Idol contestants who take risks are often the most rewarded. Since Hall is willing to step out on the ledge this early on in the competition, we have no doubt that we will see her in the top 10 — at least.
Image: Fox
