Singer Lazaro Arbos performed the Keith Urban song 'Tonight I Wanna Cry' on 'American Idol' Thursday night (Feb. 28), earning a mixed opinion from the judges.

The young singer has stuttered since the age of 6, to the point where he says he works at an ice cream shop because it was the only job he could find "that I don't have to do smart-people stuff like talking."

Arbos adds that he's always loved to sing, "but people would put me down because of the way I talk." But when he sings, his stuttering goes away, revealing a beautiful voice.

He gave a performance of Urban's song that was a bit stiffer and more formal than usual, but still served as a showcase for his unique tone and phrasing.

"Gosh, that's a beautiful song," Urban quipped, adding, "This is the strangest thing for the guy who wrote that song to say, but I don't think that was a great song choice for you tonight."

Randy Jackson agreed, but said that every time Arbos hit the chorus, he found the "sweet spot."

Nicki Minaj praised his uniqueness. "What I love about you is that you always give us Lazaro," she said. "It's very truthful to you."

Mariah Carey also praised his emotional truthfulness, saying, "I almost felt like you were welling up with tears."

In an emotional decision, Arbos made it through to the Top 20 with his performance.

Watch Lazaro Arbos Sing 'Tonight I Wanna Cry' on 'American Idol'

lazaro - Semifinalist by caseycarlsonx1

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