Thousands of "Idol" hopefuls test their pipes at TCC

Danny Grijalva is feeling good.

The 28-year-old Tucsonan joined an estimated 2,200 other potential contestants to audition Wednesday for the 15th and final season of Fox’s “American Idol” at the Tucson Convention Center Music Hall, 260 S. Church Ave.

Grijalva, unlike so many other contestants, did not walk away with dashed “Idol” dreams. His audition with Michael Bublé’s “Feeling Good” and Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud” advanced him to the next round of tryouts. He has been here before, in five previous seasons of the show, only to be cut prior to the audition in front of the celebrity judges.

“This is my passion,” Grijalva said. “I’m like, ‘No way. They’re coming to my city. I’m going to kill it with a bang.’ I was born here … so I want to represent.

“I want to put us on the map big time.”

Tucson is one of five West Coast cities on the American Idol XV Audition Bus Tour. There is also an East Coast bus with six stops, along with additional live auditions.

“This is our third stop on our West Coast bus tour, and I think we can say this is our biggest early-morning crowd we have had so far,” said Brian Robinson, a supervising producer for the show. “Tucson has really turned out today. It looks great. It’s a great-looking crowd with hopefully some great voices to match.”

With so many summer-savvy, Arizona natives in line, early arrivals were no surprise. Lining up before 5 a.m., as some contestants did, meant beating the heat, even though auditions did not begin until around 9  a.m. Tryouts lasted all day.

Like so many contestants, Dylan Kurtz and his father, Evan Kurtz, hopped into the car early Wednesday morning to make an hours-long trek to Tucson — in their case, from Anthem, north of Phoenix.

Dylan, 16, had talked for a year or two about auditioning for “American Idol.” His dad discovered the Tucson audition late Tuesday night.

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So they made the trip, with Dylan warming up and preparing his song, “I Started a Joke” by the Bee Gees, on the drive.

While some contestants desperately wanted to be the next and final American Idol, others came for the experience, guitars in hand, strolling and strumming as their auditions crept closer.

Kyle Johnson, a 24-year-old accountant at the University of Arizona, was threatened into trying out. When his co-workers discovered the Tucson auditions, they turned on him.

“They said, ‘If you come into work tomorrow, it’s going to be way more unpleasant than auditioning,’ ” he said while waiting in line. “Being here and being prepared to go out there and share your passion of singing with the world, that’s what’s important.”

Around the convention center, contestants staked out spots to practice, singing in the parking lot and in the women’s bathroom. They toted ukuleles, iPods and even a “Frozen” song book.

“We’re looking for someone to come in and show us something and is really ready to make a record and be on the radio after the show,” Robinson said. “We’re not just looking for someone to make it to the next round. We’re looking for someone who is actually ready to be on that big stage and be a contender to win the competition.”

In Wednesday’s round of tryouts, contestants sang in front of one producer. Those who advanced have another producer audition before they sing for the celebrity judges, Jennifer Lopez, Harry Connick Jr. and Keith Urban.

“I wasn’t nervous at first just because I was listening to everyone else, and it was fun,” said Kariana Moreno, a 17-year-old from Sahuarita. “I got really nervous afterward, before getting the results.”

But she shouldn’t have worried. Kariana will advance to the next round of auditions.

“I make the weirdest faces when I’m singing, and I thought, ‘I know I’m going to look ridiculous,’ ” she said. “But I thought to myself, ‘You just got to sing.’ ”