Devin Velez Charms With ‘The Long and Winding Road’ on ‘American Idol’

Devin Velez is best known for his stunning bilingual performances – but that’s not all he’s good at. The 18-year-old singer charmed the ‘American Idol’ judges tonight (March 20) with a passionate rendition of the Beatles’ ‘The Long and Winding Road.’

“That was just so good,” gushed ‘Idol’ judge Mariah Carey. “You’ve sung so many different types of music for us here, in the auditions and onstage; you have done almost every genre there is to do, and I don’t feel like you’ve disappointed us ever … I feel like it would be a travesty if you did not go through.”

“That is my favorite Beatles song,” kidded Keith Urban, who made that exact remark numerous other times throughout the evening. He went on to say, in more seriousness, “I’ve been a champion of yours since the very beginning since I love your voice,” and praised his “effortless ability to perform.” However, he cautioned Velez not to lose that emotional connection with the music. “Your voice carries you a long way, but I need your heart to be in there to engage me as well,” he said.

Nicki Minaj respectfully disagreed, stating that he was always emotionally present. What are your thoughts on Velez's performance tonight – yay or nay? Feel free to discuss in the comments!