As the competition of Hollywood Week heats up on the 23rd season of “American Idol,” one contestant appears to already be an early fan favorite.
During a preview clip of the Showstoppers round airing on April 6, 2025, judges Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood, and Luke Bryan were bowled over by the crowd’s instant swooning as Michael “MKY” Jimenez, 25, performed “Sabor a Mí” in full Spanish. The online reaction has been impressive, too, with fans on social media flooding the third-generation Mexican-American singer with praise.
Crowd Screams & Swoons Over MKY During ‘Idol’ Showstopper Round
For the April 6 episode, “Idol” pulled together a pre-produced segment featuring East L.A. native MKY as he drove around the city, spent time with his family, and talked about the importance of his culture.
“I’m singing in full Spanish and ‘Sabor a Mi’ is such a huge staple song of the culture,” he told producers. “It means a lot to me to be able to sing in Spanish on ‘American Idol.’ I’ve waited my whole life for this opportunity. I’m hoping I can pull it off and maybe just show a different side of me.”
The song “Sabor a Mí,” is widely considered the Chicano National Anthem, according to UCLA Library, which reported that it was written by Alvaro Carrillo, “one of Mexico’s top composers during the golden era of the romantic bolero.” The tune is often performed at weddings and family events in Mexico and Latin America, per Excelsior, and has been covered by popular musicians including Luis Miguel and Los Ponchos.
As soon as MKY began singing the song at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles for his Showstoppers performance, the crowd went wild. Richie, Underwood, and Bryan looked around in amazement at the many women clapping, swaying and screaming for MKY.
At the end of his performance, ABC showed the judges discussing their feedback, with Underwood calling it a “bold song choice” and that she was “impressed with the guitar.”
“I just don’t want him to always feel like he’s got to be, like, a perfect Ken doll,” Bryan said, and Richie pointed out, “This was our first look at him with an audience, and I’m telling ya!”
MKY Quit Sports to Focus on Music Over 10 Years Ago
During his audition, MKY wowed the judges, bringing Richie to his feet as he sang “Ooo Baby Baby” by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles. When they met his mom and dad, an R&B singer, Richie told them he was “sensational” and Underwood said, “I feel like you’ve got all the pieces — I’m excited to see what you do in this competition.”
The singer has spent years honing his craft and style. In 2017, he made it to the Top 8 on ABC’s “Boy Band,” per Idol Chatter, and traveled the world with music group 4th Ave.
Appearing on LA’s Power 106 on April 2, MKY said he grew up playing sports but when his late grandfather began teaching him how to play guitar at age 14, he fell in love so hard that he quit his teams and devoted his time and energy to music. His “ultimate” day, he laughed, would be to sing the national anthem at the NBA Celebrity All-Star game and then get to play in it.
When the hosts took note of his muscular physique, MKY said, “I’m at the gym 24/7. It’s therapy. We’re in a crazy industry so it’s important that I stay in the gym on top of practicing (music).”
Before he auditioned for “Idol,” MKY admitted, he was considering giving up on music after a decade of hard work without big results.
“There’s definitely dark times,” he said, noting that even though he has a “good manager” in Bobby Dee, “I was just at a point where I’m like, ‘Either I can give up 10 years of hard work or I can keep going. And then the ‘American Idol’ opportunity came. But before that, I was like, ‘For sure I just need something because the world is not paying attention.’”
“I try to stay true to my art because it’s art at the end of the day,” he added, “and I feel like the world will catch up eventually.”
