Max Dasher's a potential "American Idol" Season 22 breakout star in the making. Beyond being a gifted singer the judges see as someone who can be even better with some guidance, he brings the sort of feel-good story that viewers crave. The 18-year-old warehouse worker from Black Mountain, NC legitimately doesn't seem to know that he exudes charisma, and he can count his sister as one of his proudest supporters.
For his audition, Dasher sang "Rock, Salt & Nails," a Utah Phillips composition that's been covered by the likes of Steve Young, Waylon Jennings and the duo of Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs. In the process, he floored judge Katy Perry.
"You have that sparkle," Perry said. "It's the stuff. You have undeniable authenticity. It's like a gold rush."
After teasingly coaching Dasher through making a suave enough entrance to draw playful Robert Pattinson comparisons from Perry, Luke Bryan bestowed more earnest advice on the auditioner.
"What I love about you is you just did your audition exactly the way I would have," Bryan said. "Freaking out and playing the guitar like you were trying to break a string. If we can get you to breathe and calm down, and understand that you're pretty damn cool, man you've got a little bit of magic to you."
Lionel Richie then honed in on what makes Dasher so irresistably cool.
"Your mantra should be, 'I'm 18 and I look like James Dean,'" Richie said. "You're going to have to bump up your vocals, but remember, your attitude comes with it."
Ultimately, all three judges voted to send Dasher, his "sparkle," his "little bit of magic" and his James Dean swagger to Hollywood.
"Idol" shared the audition on YouTube on Friday (March 1), just two days before the series' next episode airs on ABC.
