Althea Grace shared an emotional story with “American Idol” judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie on Sunday night’s final audition night.
Grace, a 21-year-old mother from Chicago, performed original song “Saturday Morning,” which she wrote while her daughter was in the hospital fighting for her life.
The singer’s daughter Lennon, named after John Lennon, miraculously survived a liver transplant when she was 11 months old.
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“They told us she would have to have a transplant in order to live,” Althea shared. “She was on life support on dialysis in a coma. I don’t think it was until one of her doctors looked at me and said, ‘I don’t think I can do this. I don’t think I can save her,’ it felt like a piece of me was going to die if she died.”
After the performance the judges praised her, “I love the tone of your voice,” Bryan said. “Where you’re navigating in the heart of your range is almost like Stevie Nicks’ quality. I like your voice.”
Richie, who agreed that Althea was reminiscent of Stevie Nicks, added, “The hardest part in this business is to have a unique voice that cuts through. You have a cut-through voice, but I think you really need to be confident in yourself. But I think you have something to work with. I really do.”
“I empathize with what you’re going through,” said new mom Perry. “I can’t imagine it. But I need you to fight for this. I know you’re shy and I know it’s scary. It’s really frickin’ scary. You have to have that fire. Take everything you’ve been through and make it into fire every time you sing.”
Althea walked away with three yeses and a golden ticket to Hollywood.
“American Idol” airs Sunday nights at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.
