Rae Boyd threw down the gauntlet by picking an intimidating Demi Lovato number, “Stone Cold,” for her Hollywood week performance, and American Idol fans weren’t sure if she could pull it off. But the Maryland talent soon put any worries to rest with her soulful, intimate delivery. On that kind of soul piano ballad that’s almost entirely carried by the vocals, it’s a very fine line to hit between giving it enough weight but not oversinging.
The Music Man has to say that Rae hit the mark with her delivery by starting with a heartfelt vocal before ratcheting up the power as the song progressed. Seeing her proud parents’ raw emotions as they watched from the crowd made for touching viewing. Fans, meanwhile, got a kick out of seeing judge Lionel Richie’s stunned reaction as Rae went big on the high notes from 1:10 onwards.
Rae delivered her “Stone Cold” cover on March 3, 2026. Fans gave plenty of love for her Hollywood week appearance and added comments such as “Big song choice, had me on the edge of my seat, but no worries. She sailed through this with power and tenderness, such a forward tone. Sailed through the room. You betta SANG!!” and “Lionel’s face when she hit the high notes…”
Rae auditioned for American Idol with a cover of Aretha Franklin’s “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.” True to form for Rae, this was another very ambitious song to choose. She didn’t disappoint, though, by delivering the soul and the thunder throughout her performance. You could see from the judges’ faces throughout the performance that they knew she was one heck of a vocal talent.
Rae Boyd is a 24-year-old professional musician from Frederick, Maryland. She has now made three appearances on American Idol 2026. The Music Man readers might be interested to hear that Rae covered The Jackson 5’s “I’ll Be There” on her third Idol appearance on March 11. Rae dedicated the song to her older sister Jamie Kaye, who appeared in the episode for Rae’s Ohana round performance in Hawaii. Rae’s Jackson 5 cover was yet another hit for the Maryland singer, as it secured her a place in the American Idol top 20. Rae’s Hollywood week performance of “Stone Cold” bucked the trend for Idol performers. This was because it drew 140,000 views on YouTube, making it her most popular performance on the show so far. Many Idols score their most popular performance with their opening audition, at least for the early part of the season.