Kent’s Stefano Langone Lands a Spot on ‘American Idol’ [VIDEO]

The Northwest has a second "American Idol" contestant to root for in season 10: Kent's Stefano Langone, 21, who sang his way to Hollywood at auditions in San Francisco, televised Wednesday night.

Langone first got the attention of the judges with his backstory. In 2009, he survived a nearly fatal car accident that left him with scars on his arms and his legs — and a passion to make something of himself.

When you go through something like that, Langone said, "That flame in you that says, 'I want this,' it burns more than anything."

It was his performance, though, not his misfortune, that impressed the judges most. Singing "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" with just a hint of Stevie Wonder in his voice, he earned unanimous "yeses" from Jennifer Lopez, Steven Tyler and Randy Jackson.

"You're definitely here for a reason," Lopez said. "You have real star quality."

Tyler said, "You survived that accident and I'm about to tell you why: You're going to Hollywood."

Langone joins Seattle native Molly DeWolf Swenson, who advanced earlier this season to the Hollywood round, which begins at 8 p.m. Thursday on Fox.

Seattle Times