Talent clearly runs in Aretha Franklin’s family. In the latest episode of American Idol, which aired on February 27, the late singer’s 15-year-old granddaughter auditioned to be a part of season 20.
Grace revealed her grandmother’s identity before she sang for the panel of judges, which includes Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, and Luke Bryan. “My grandma is Aretha Franklin,” she said when Richie asked her about her journey to the American Idol auditions.
Aretha Franklin passed away in August 2018 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. She was 76 years old. “I was really close to my grandma. I got to see her all the time. I used to travel with her a lot,” Grace told producers during an interview. “I don’t think I could fully grasp the fact that she was known worldwide. Because to me, she was always just Grandma.”
She added, “I feel like people expect me to sing exactly like her, but I’m my own artist and I have my own voice.”
Although the young performer did not proceed to the next phase, Grace demonstrated her talent and potential. For her audition, Grace sang “Killing Me Softly” by Lauryn Hill. When Perry asked to hear her sing something else, Grace sang her grandmother’s classic “Ain’t No Way.” The “Teenage Dream” singer ultimately voted for Grace to move on to the next round.
However, Richie and Bryan disagreed with their fellow judge, citing Grace’s age. “You’re 15. You’ve got the family lineage. What we need to put now is time and some work in to get it up to par. The age and the voice has to all come together on the same path,” he said. “If you go and come back and put the shyness behind you and the voice in front of you, you’re going to be something amazing and I don’t want to be the one to make you tip over and fall at this stage.”
Despite Perry’s passionate protests, Bryan agreed with Richie on the decision to send Grace home so she can improve her singing skills before taking on such a big stage.
You can watch Grace’s audition for American Idol below:
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Aretha Franklin’s 15-Year-Old Granddaughter Just Auditioned for American Idol
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