WATCH: Emmy Russell Overcomes Nerves, Earns Standing Ovation On American Idol With Bonnie Raitt Classic
Russell’s performance gave Luke Bryan “full body chills.”
Emmy Russell; Photo by Disney/Eric McCandless
Loretta Lynn’s granddaughter, Emmy Russell, continued to impress on American Idol on Sunday evening when she delivered a stunning rendition of Bonnie Raitt’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me.”
During this unique episode themed around the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, each of the remaining contestants had the opportunity to have a personal, one-on-one conversation with rock legend Gene Simmons from Kiss. He gave each contestant, including Emmy, valuable feedback regarding their performance and on-stage presence.
When it came to mentoring Emmy Russell, Simmons immediately noticed her timidness and jumped in to help.
“When Emmy came in, I immediately saw the tightness, which is your enemy by the way, because onstage you will wilt like a flower that doesn’t have enough water,” he explained. “One of the best ways of getting rid of jitters is when something unexpected happens.”
He then yelled out loud, which startled Emmy. He told her, “Like that! See? Like that.”
She admitted his advice “actually helped.”
The rock star went on to praise her vocal abilities and Emmy admitted his feedback meant a lot to her.
“I have read the comments and it’s like, ‘She needs to just stick to songwriting.’ ‘Leave it to her grandma.’ And so when Gene told me that he liked my voice, it was really validating.”
During her performance, Emmy Russell shared a beautiful delivery of the song. She hit all the high notes. Evoking goosebumps from viewers along the way. She did, however, seem to be a bit nervous, but she powered through.
The judges leaped out of their chairs to give her a standing ovation.
Luke Bryan complimented her vocals and encouraged her to keep doing what she does best.
“The realness of your voice is so listenable. I mean, I had full body chills and we have singers coming up here that are dancing, that are belting songs through the roof, but the realness and the innocence that you’re able to do week in and week out is your thing,” he said. “And it’s very special. Just keep doing it.”
Lionel Richie kept his short, yet sweet, telling Emmy, “I just wanted to tell her one thing. That was great.”
Lastly, Katy Perry told her, “Emmy, you’re not competing against any of those people. You’re competing against yourself. And tonight you won.”
This performance landed Emmy Russell a place in the coveted Top 12. Tonight, she will perform with hopes of making it into the Top 10.
As the granddaughter of country legend Loretta Lynn, Emmy Russell, has struggled with finding her place and standing out due to her family ties.
“I think there’s a reason why I think I am a little timid and I think it’s because I want to own my voice,” she explained during her audition, and later added, “That’s why I want to challenge myself and come out here and really step in and be like, okay, come on Emmy.”
Throughout the competition, she has performed several originals, including “Skinny” and “Want You.” She’s also covered “More Hearts Than Mine” by Ingrid Andress and “Beautiful Things” by Benson Boone.
American Idol returns tonight, Monday, April 22, with performances from the Top 12. The Top 10 will be revealed at the end of the episode.
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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