But the most buzz-worthy performance Sunday night came not from one of those up-and-comers, but from Ashanti, an R&B darling ...

The final round of auditions wrapped up on Sunday night, with a performance from 17-year-old high school graduate Canaan James Hill, who graduated early to pursue his calling of becoming a preacher.

Canaan James Hill's "American Idol" audition caused show judge Lionel Richie to leap from his seat during the performance.