WATCH: 21-Year-Old Kaeyra Stuns With Unexpected Chris Stapleton Cover On ‘American Idol’
Kaeyra’s audition earned a standing ovation from Luke Bryan.
Kaeyra; Photo by American Idol, ABC
Kaeyra, a singer/songwriter from Algonquin, Illinois, delivered a mesmerizing performance of Chris Stapleton’s “Cold” during her American Idol audition.
Idol released the clip ahead of Sunday’s (March 26) episode, which serves as the final round of auditions before the Hollywood episodes begin to air next week.
Seated behind a white grand piano, Kaeyra’s performance stunned the American Idol judges with her soaring sultry vocals.
At the conclusion of her performance, Idol judge Luke Bryan hopped out of his chair to give Kaeyra a standing ovation while fellow judges, Lionel Richie and Katy Perry, applauded from their seats.
“I wasn’t expecting that!” Luke Bryan admitted, before praising the contestant’s vocal abilities. “You don’t sound like anybody else. You can tell you’ve sat at the piano and you can just tell that music’s been in your world. It was great, it was really great.”
With hopes to learn more about the contestant, Perry questioned, “Tell me, Kaeyra, where do you usually sing?”
“I work at a restaurant. I sing four hours a night, four days a week,” Kaeyra revealed.
She went on to explain that she can only sing covers while singing at her place of employment.
“If you get to go to Hollywood, I want to hear something less slow because you have this vibrato that’s really cool,” Perry told her. “All the world is not a steakhouse.”
Richie was equally impressed.
“All we’re talking about is range. If we can get some of that moody voice you have and put it across a fast song, mid-tempo song, slow song,” he said. “You’ve got all the range you need to make an artist out of this.”
Perry agreed and added, “I think you are an artist [and] I think it’s in your blood and I think that the universe has put you in the right places for this moment.”
Before the judges revealed Kaeyra’s fate in the competition, Richie said, “I have to agree with Katy. You know what, it’s in your blood and then I think what we want to do now is bring it all out and it’s time to show it off.”
Ultimately, Kaeyra earned three ‘yeses’ and a golden ticket to advance to Hollywood.
While she didn’t appear to be nervous during her Idol audition, she told ABC 7 Chicago that she felt anxious when stepping in front of the superstar judges for the first time.
“Standing in front of judges you’ve admired and listened to your whole life, it’s nerve-wracking,” she admitted. “And also being around all the contestants, it’s more inspiring than anything.”
Kaeyra’s real name is Caroline Baran. In 2018, she auditioned for America’s Got Talent with a cover of Hozier’s debut single, “Take Me To Church.” Her standout performance earned a “yes” from all of the judges.
During a recent interview with ABC 7 Chicago, Kaeyra opened up about her time in the bands Profusion and Caroline & The Priority.
“I was in a band when I was 12, I played bass and sang. I just remember the first time I was on stage and I was, ‘Yup, this is what I’m going to do for the rest of my life.’ So, no matter what happens, I know that this is the only way. It’s always going to be music.”
The 21-year-old singer previously went viral with impressive covers on Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox YouTube channel. Her covers of Metallica’s “Nothing Else Matters,” Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time,” Phil Collins’ “In The Air Tonight,” Rihanna’s “Love On The Brain” and more on the channel have amassed millions of views over the course of the last few years.
American Idol airs every Sunday at 8/7c on ABC.
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
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