Longtime viewers of “American Idol” will see a blast from the past on this week’s episode.
28.02.2022 - 11:21 / justjared.com
American Idol is back!
Season 20 of the singing competition series premiered on Sunday (February 27) on ABC.
The premiere followed judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie traveling around the country to auditioning singers hoping to make it in Hollywood.
One of those singers that auditioned was 15-year-old Grace Franklin – the granddaughter of the late music icon Aretha Franklin!
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“I was really close to my grandma,” Grace shared in a package before her audition. “I got to see her all the time. I used to travel with her a lot. I don’t think I could fully grasp the fact that she was known worldwide, because to me, she was always just grandma.”
For her audition, Grace sang “Killing Me Softly,” however, Katy wasn’t sold on her performance and asked her to sing another song.
Grace then decided to perform one of Aretha‘s most iconic songs, “Ain’t No Way.”
“I loved your rendition of your grandma’s song,” Katy said after Grace finished singing.
“You’re 15. You’ve got the family lineage. What we need to put now is time and some work in to get it up to par,” Lionel added. “The age and the voice has to all come together on the same path.”
When it came down to if Grace would make it into the next round, the judges got heated.
Katy voted yes, but Luke voted no.
Katy tried to convince Lionel to vote Grace through, but he felt that Grace needed more time to grow as a singer.
Trust me,” Lionel explained. “If you go and come back and put the shyness behind you and the voice in front of you, you’re going to be something amazing and I don’t want to be the one to make you tip over and fall at this stage.”
“She’s not. She might be a little shy. I will lay down on the ground. I quit this show. I’m going to
Longtime viewers of “American Idol” will see a blast from the past on this week’s episode.
Another star is born on American Idol!
as contestant Sam Finelli faced his fears and auditioned for judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan. The 28-year-old bakery assistant opened up about his struggles with autism, expressing how music helped him get through a difficult childhood.«I don't connect with people very well. It's just a small part of who I am,» Sam explained.
as contestant Sam Finelli faced his fears to audition for judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan. The 28-year-old bakery assistant opened up about his struggles with autism, expressing how music helped him get through a difficult childhood.«I don't connect with people very well. It's just a small part of who I am,» Sam explained.
Taniya Boatwright explained how she was inspired by a former “American Idol” contestant as she auditioned for the judges during Sunday’s episode.
TikTok star Abigail Brooks has moved onto a bigger stage.
Aretha Franklin’s young granddaughter has been rejected from American Idol after auditioning for the long-running talent show last month.15-year-old Grace Franklin didn’t advance from her audition on February 27. Speaking before her audition, she said: “I feel like people expect me to sing exactly like her, but I am my own artist and I have my own voice.”Performing a version of Roberta Flack’s ‘Killing Me Softly’ in the style of the Fugees‘ iconic cover, Franklin was told by judge Luke Bryan that the performance “was all just a little sleepy and subdued to me,” while fellow judge Katy Perry called it “soft”.Another performance, this time of her grandmother’s track ‘Ain’t No Way’, followed, but Franklin was unsuccessful in her attempts to reach the next round of the competition.Watch both performances below.Aretha Franklin died in August 2018 in Detroit at the age of 76.
audition, she had also never performed before she stepped on the stage in front of judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie. The 18-year-old native of Boone County, West Virginia, shared the story of her difficult childhood, and being raised by her grandparents. Kelsie noted that her grandmother sadly died in 2021 after suffering complications from COVID-19. Noting that her grandmother «pushed her» to try things, Kelsie decided to «step outside» of her comfort zone in her honor.
A star is born. American Idol viewers met Kelsie Dolin during the second week of auditions — and she left a big impression.
Katy Perry has had some pretty memorable moments during her time as a judge on American Idol, but a recent one allowed her to finally clear some things up regarding one of her biggest hits.MORE: Katy Perry taken aback by very surprising audition during American Idol premiereThe singer had a conversation with fellow judges Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan as they talked about artists often adding too many unnecessary flairs to their singing.WATCH: Katy Perry's Chocotopia adventureLuke then started singing to Katy's hit Firework by performing the lines in the chorus as "up, up, up," and then "ah, ah, ah," to her annoyance."It's not 'up, up, up' and it's not 'ah, ah, ah'," she said, to which Luke retorted: "Well what is it then, because I've been dying to know all these years?"MORE: Katy Perry looks unreal in all-leather outfit"It's 'awe, awe, awe' everybody, get it right!" she said. Luke even questioned: "Is that a word in the dictionary?" to which Katy responded: "It is!"She even added on to the career-long debate about her song, saying: "It's not Fireworks, it's Firework."A post shared by KATY PERRY (@katyperry)Katy cleared up what the lyrics for Firework really were for LukeKaty posted the clip on her Instagram with the caption: "FOR THE OFFICIAL RECORD • it is AWE not UP • it is FIREWORK not FIREWORKSSS.
Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan, but this aspiring singer did it.On Sunday's , the judges are left speechless when they meet contestant Kenedi Anderson. In ET's exclusive sneak peek from Part 2 of the auditions, at first Perry, Richie and Bryan think nothing of her audition.
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Aretha Franklin’s legacy will live on forever, and now, we’re getting another reminder of how far her influence has extended.Over the weekend, fans got to see the legend’s 15-year-old granddaughter, Grace, audition for Season 20 of American Idol, proving that singing runs in the family.“I was really close to my grandma,” the teenager said during the episode on Sunday, February 27. “I got to see her all the time.
Does Aretha Franklin‘s granddaughter have what it takes to be a star, too??
In what might be one of the biggest audition shockers in American Idol history, fifteen-year-old hopeful Grace Franklin walked out before the judges and revealed that she is the granddaughter of the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin.
American Idol auditions. passed away in August 2018 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. She was 76 years old. “I was really close to my grandma.