Contestants audition in front of the judges who must narrow the field from 20 to 12; with no backing bands or flashy screens, the contenders strive to be one of the final six who will move on to the main competition, along with six others.

Contestants audition in front of the judges who must narrow the field from 20 to 12; after the dust settles, the top 12 competitors make their way to the hotel, while the others head home.