American Idol kicked off its 15th and final season Wednesday night, a series that has catapulted artists like Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson and Taylor Hicks to stardom.
In the season premiere, Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban and Harry Connick Jr. return as judges and handed out the coveted golden tickets to wannabe idols such as a 15-year-old Michelle Marie Lecza who sang "Blue" by Leann Rimes, and Lindita, a 26-year-old personal trainer who impressed judges for her rendition of "It's a Man's, Man's, Man's World."
The show also featured a montage of past Idol auditions throughout the years and ended with a surprise audition by Kanye West who quipped, "I always wanted to rap, and nobody really believed in me."
The shows heads next to San Francisco and Little Rock for auditions.
