'American Idol' 2013: Auditions Draw Nearly 8,000 Participants to Ford Field

Despite dropping ratings and an air of ambiguity surround the show's upcoming thirteenth season, applicants came in droves to try to earn a spot on "American Idol" when tryouts came to Detroit's Ford Field. It was the third session of auditions, with two having taken place already in Salt Lake City and San Francisco.

More than 8,000 showed up looking to earn a trip to the second round, where a select few will be chosen to appear on the vocal talent show when it begins again in January 2014.

The excitement from fans has to be a small relief for Fox, but behind the scenes there are many changes being made. In front of the camera, three of last year's four celebrity judges have withdrawn. Both Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj left after one season (full of rumored tiffs between the two stars), and Randy Jackson, the last of the remaining original judges also announced his retirement from the show. It is still unknown whether fellow judge Keith Urban will return for the new season. Behind the scenes, longtime producers Nigel Lythgoe and Ken Warwick were replaced with Per Blankens, Evan Prager and Jesse Ignjatovic.

One cast member remains the same as ever: Host and emcee Ryan Seacrest. The star was present in Detroit as he provided support for hopefuls.

(An American Idol) "should be somebody that looks like they're comfortable onstage," he said. "Confident and commanding - a natural. They should own who they are and what they do, and we can tell who's a put-on or not, and that's what we're sifting through here."

After Detroit, auditions head to Atlanta, and then Boston, Austin and Omaha respectively.