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Luke Bryan Encourages Nashville Native Elli Rowe To ‘Dig In a Little More’ Following ‘American Idol’ Audition
As the daughter of bluegrass musicians, music runs in Elli Rowe’s family and she’s ready to step into the spotlight…

Elli Rowe, American Idol
As the daughter of bluegrass musicians, music runs in Elli Rowe’s family and she’s ready to step into the spotlight on her own on American Idol.
Rowe, a 19-year-old college student from Nashville, Tennessee was always around music growing up and naturally expressed interest in following in her parents’ footsteps.
She decided to try her hand at American Idol and ended up showcasing her talents in front of Idol judges Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan.
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While playing the piano, Rowe belted out the lyrics to Allen Stone’s “Give You Blue,” putting her incredible vocals on full display. Her performance earned a standing ovation from Richie and praise from Perry and Bryan.
“Yeah, I think you’ve got levels, you’ve got a very commercial voice and it’s very sweet and pleasing and wonderful to listen to,” Perry gushed. “You seem very nice, girl next door-esque. You might have to find a little bit more… you might have to just start boxing, because it’s a fight out there, just a little bit because it is a fight out there. A fight to the finish and there’s a lot of people with really big voices that really use them and you have access to those notes. Pick the right songs, I’m a yes.”

“You are the poster child for the phrase ‘melody is key.’ When simplicity is infused in that, you have a magical substance my dear. I just loved your whole being,” Richie said.
Bryan encouraged Elli Rowe to step outside of her comfort zone a bit.
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“You got two yeses, that means you’re going to Hollywood, I don’t know if you realize that yet,” Bryan added. “So listen, you know where you’re staying in your little safe space, and when you stay in that safe space, you want to go to falsetto, which you always nail perfectly. Test that full voice, dig in a little more. Anyway, I’m a yes, you’re going to Hollywood.”
American Idol returns on Monday at 8/7c with another round of auditions.
Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.