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.
