The 'American Idol 9' judges (photo from Fox Broadcasting Company)

It was barely a year ago that the world stopped when Kris Allen won Season 8 of “American Idol.”

A few months after Paula Abdul bid the show bye-bye, and Simon Cowell confirmed it to be his last, the most popular talent search on TV is back, kicking off its 9th season on Jan. 12 (Jan. 13 in the Philippines) in Boston, Massachusetts.

Over 9,000 hopefuls from all walks of life braved the morning rain to get their much-prayed for “Yes, you’re going to Hollywood!” from judges Randy Jackson, Kara DioGuardi, and, of course, Simon.

Sitting as guest judge for the episode is Victoria Beckham (yes, that Victoria Beckham), who seemingly channeled Paula by empathizing with nervous auditionees and commending their fashion style.

In true “Idol” audition tradition, the pilot episode contained comic relief and heart-tugging moments, as well as the usual amusing bickering between and among the judges and contestants.

Janet McNamara has something to brag about for the rest of her life as hers was the first televised audition this season. A self-confessed master of the “American Idol” video game, she opened with a rendition of Natasha Bedingfield’s “Pocketful Of Sunshine,” which, unfortunately, got a pocketful of no’s from the four judges.

Others who followed Janet's sorry lead included the “Hollah”-screaming Pat Ford, who horrified the judges with his sing-and-dance performance of Britney Spears’ “Womanizer;” and Derek Hilton, a seemingly all-too spiritual dude who claimed his voice is a cross between "Chris Brown and The Eagles."
 
There were those who will be remembered not for their singing but for their clothes (or should we say costumes?), such as two unnamed auditionees who sported a king's garb and a Lilo (of “Lilo and Stitch”) costume, respectively.

Then there are those whose appearances defy explanation. One of these is 18-year-old Norberto Guerrero whose fashion and singing style had the ever-evocative Simon waxing eloquent: “You sing like a 3-year-old girl, you dress like La Toya Jackson, and you’ve got a beard.”

Lisa Olivero, a 24-year-old waitress, wowed the judges with her confident stride and voluptuous curves when she entered the audition room. However, the impression quickly soured when she sang “Vision of Love” by Mariah Carey, reminding the judges that looks can sometimes be deceiving.

Meanwhile, Andrew Fenlon, an unemployed musician, could have gotten the Golden Ticket if not for his cocky attitude. He complained about waiting for eons, which made Kara fume.

The first Golden Ticket went to 16-year-old Maddy Curtis, who, aside from having a good singing voice, has a sob story to tell, about her brothers who have Down syndrome.

Teen Katie Stevens, whose grandmother suffers from Alzheimer’s disease also made her mark, delivering a touching rendition of “At Last.”

The stories of drummer Tyler Grady, who now wants to sing after breaking his wrists when he climbed a tree, and cancer survivor Justin Williams paved the way for inspired performances of “Let’s Get It On” and “Feeling Good,” respectively. Simon tagged Tyler’s piece as “one of the auditions I will remember.”

Posh got into a bit of catfight with Simon when he rolled his eyes back to his skull during what he dubbed as a “boring” performance from Nigerian Bosa Mora. But at the end of Day Two in Boston, Bosa still got the much-sought ticket to Hollywood.

Berklee University student Ashley Rodriguez, who covered Alicia Keys’ “If I Ain’t Got You,” and Leah Laurenti, who sang “Blue Skies” from the Rodgers and Hart musical “Betsy,” were two early favorites.

Auditions continue until February when the Golden Ticket holders go to Hollywood and face Randy, Kara, and Simon, together with the new resident judge, Ellen DeGeneres.