Loretta Lynn’s granddaughter, Emmy Russell, gave a powerful audition on American Idol with her original song “Skinny” last month. The 24-year-old Nashville singer-songwriter gave a timid opening interview, where the judges had to tell the young lady to speak up. However, the judges’ interest perked up when Russell mentioned her grandmother was a country singer, and then revealed it was the late legend, Loretta Lynn.
Russell definitely inherited a large dose of her grandma’s talent, displaying a gorgeous country-pop voice that was sincere and touching to hear. She also showed off a deft touch on the grand piano, adding extra weight to her performance. The young singer’s audition was broadcast on February 25, 2024, and it has already become a hit online, attracting 2.3 million views on the American Idol YouTube channel.
The lyrics of “Skinny” address eating disorders and it takes a lot of courage to tackle such a personal topic during an audition performance. Russell gave some insight on her musical journey while talking to the judges, saying, “Growing up I sang music my entire life. I just love writing… I love music.” She added that she hadn’t performed live much lately, but growing up she sang “on the road” with her grandmother.
After hearing “Skinny,” judge Katy Perry said, “Emmy, you’re an A+ songwriter – so was your grandma. You’ve got the gift. I don’t think you need to compare yourself to what your grandma was – you’re totally different. You shouldn’t put yourself under all that pressure.”This isn’t the first time that Russell has come to public attention. In 2022, she performed a stunning version of “Lay Me Down” with Willie Nelson’s son, Lukas Nelson, at A Celebration of the Life and Music of Loretta Lynn.
After giving her feedback, Perry then had Russell introduce herself again, but this time more assertively. She told her that she couldn’t hear her until Russell spoke up more firmly. Lionel Richie weighed in next, saying, “My dear, you have promise, and I like your promise. Each one of us is trying to battle something that we’re trying to overcome. In your case, you have big shoes. Now, if I can just get you to put those shoes back in the closet – that’s not your size.”
Country star Luke Bryan agreed, saying, “We’ve just got to lift you up and get you more confident, and you just need to own it.” The judges then voted on Russell’s audition, with Richie and Bryan voting yes.
Perry drew out the moment and had Russell introduce herself again, at which point the young singer teared up, but she delivered the introduction one more time. With that, she sealed the deal on her audition and Perry told her that she got three yes votes and that her next destination was Hollywood. The judges definitely made the right call, as while there are many great singers on the show, when a young artist can tug on the heartstrings with their songwriting as well, then you know you have someone with some real potential in the industry.
If you were captivated by Emmy Russell’s stunning performance on American Idol, be sure to check out more of her work. Emmy, the gifted granddaughter of late country legend Loretta Lynn, wowed audiences with her touching original song “Skinny.” For more of Emmy’s beautiful country-pop voice and skilled piano playing, you can follow her on her YouTube Channel, or on her Instagram.