'American Idol' Contestant Grace Kinstler Brings out Kelly Clarkson Vibes

American Idol's new season premiered on Sunday night with a wide variety of auditions. Some made the judges groan, while others sparked excitement. In particular, one audition sparked comparisons to Kelly Clarkson, who won Season 1 of the show.

20-year-old Grace Kinstler, a college student from Chicago, stood in front of the judges with the goal of reaching Hollywood and the next stage of the competition. She performed "Midnight Train to Georgia" and prompted requests for a second tune. Kinstler then sang Aretha Franklin's "Natural Woman." The judges raved about her performances. Katy Perry, in particular, said that she got body chills twice and talked about "true magic."

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by American Idol (@americanidol)

"That's got to be right up there with the Kelly Clarkson audition, the Jennifer Hudson audition," Luke Bryan added. "I get brought to tears by stories and backgrounds of people and their struggles, but this is the first time in four years that someone just singing made me cry. Just understand that your dad is very, very proud of you right now. What a lot to be proud of."

Before wowing the judges, Kinstler explained that she had an important goal. She wanted to honor the memory of her late father. Kinstler explained that the family had always watched American Idol together and she imagined her father would be with her if she ever went. However, her father passed away after being taken to the hospital last February.

"His not being here has taught me, live every moment as if it is your last," Kinstler said. "Take every opportunity, every chance, because you don't know what chance you can get because of it. I have a habit of getting nervous, where I have literally blown auditions because my breath stops working and I hyperventilate. But I keep on thinking how much he believed in me, and I try to believe that much in myself. I think he would be heartbroken if I gave up because I got sad, so it's hard, but it's also extra motivation for me to keep going."

With her performances complete, Kinstler will now head to Hollywood and the singing competition's next stage. She will aim to impress even further while drawing comparisons to Clarkson and other impressive singers, such as Jennifer Hudson. American Idol airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.