If you ask American Idol contestant Alyssa Raghu how she feels about the backlash her audition sparked, she’ll tell you the show’s editing team has some explaining to do. Fans of the show have been outraged after the latest episode showcased the audition of Julia Davo, a 20-year-old waitress who said she was encouraged to try out by her best friend and roommate, Raghu. The latter is not new to the show as she previously competed on the show in 2019. “She’s so supportive, and she told me she thinks I would be great for the show,” Davo said on the show. Unfortunately, she didn’t make it through.
Davo earned two “no” votes from judges Katy Perry and Luke Bryan. Lionel Richie voted “yes,” even comparing her to a young Lady Gaga. Raghu was waiting outside her friend’s audition and came into the room. In a surprising twist, Raghu auditioned herself and impressed the judges, earning two “yes” votes and a ticket to Hollywood. It sparked a debate between the judges and viewers about what her intentions were.
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Now, Raghu is speaking out, saying editing made it appear the two friends were pinned against one another. In a TikTok video that was also shared to Instagram, she denied stealing her best friend’s moment, noting that she was disappointed at the edit. Raghu claims the episode provided a “false narrative of betrayal” and says the edit was rooted in sexism and wouldn’t have been the same “had I been a male artist.”
Despite the way it appeared she crashed the audition, she says the show’s producers invited her to the set as a guest after Davo mentioned her name during the pre-audition process. She insists her friend told her to be prepared with a song in case she was asked to come into the room. At the end of the audition, Raghu could be heard offering to throw away her golden ticket while talking to her friend.
