When 16-year-old Lainey Grace auditioned on American Idol, she not only created one of the most viral auditions of 2026, but she also caused a big controversy among fans. Lainey auditioned on indie artist Kyndal Inskeep’s song “Honest,” and Kyndal was also there to audition for American Idol herself. However, only one of the two singers was going to progress to the next round, and many fans said the judges got it dead wrong!
Lainey performed first, accompanying herself on piano and delivering a heartbreaking folk/indie vocal. Kyndal listened from the next room, shook up that Lainey auditioned on her song. The judges wanted to hear more and brought in Kyndal to hear the pair harmonize on the song while Kyndal played guitar. The Music Man readers might be surprised to hear that at this point Lionel Richie made the controversial decision to knock back Lainey, despite calling her performance “inspiring”.
29-year-old Kyndal then had the chance to audition herself, which she did by performing another of her songs, “Prayer of a Trying Daughter.” The coaches then gave Kyndal a ticket to the Hollywood round. Lionel was convinced by her potential as a singer-songwriter, saying, “You’ve got artist written all over you,” while Luke Bryan commended her range. This choice proved to be controversial with fans, with several top commenters saying that they should have picked Lainey instead.
Viewers added comments like “Lainey Grace got absolutely hosed. She is a great singer and deserved to go through” and “The judges absolutely got this one wrong.” I have to say that Lainey did indeed shine the brightest as a vocalist out of the pair. The judges were seemingly more moved by Kyndal’s ability as a singer-songwriter, though. Kyndal is no stranger to talent shows, having previously performed Sia’s “Elastic Heart” on The Voice in 2019.
Lainey Grace is a singer-songwriter who was raised in Iowa and is now based in Prattville, Alabama. It seems that her 2026 American Idol audition is the first time she has come to wider attention as a singer. Lainey has previously shared a number of her covers, as well as her original songs, via her Instagram @laineygracemusic. Kyndal Inskeep is a professional singer-songwriter from Indiana, who is now based in Nashville. The Music Man readers might be interested to hear that she came to public attention at age 22 when she successfully auditioned for season 17 of The Voice. Kyndal gave a blind audition on the Three Dog Night number “Never Been to Spain” on The Voice. She turned Kelly Clarkson, Gwen Stefani, and Blake Shelton’s chairs. Gwen subsequently used her block on Blake, and then Kyndal chose Gwen. Kyndal progressed through the battle and knockout rounds before being eliminated in the live playoffs.