American Idol introduces its viewers to a long list of talented singers every season. Sometimes, one of those singers wins and goes on to be a star. Other times, they become stars while in the early stages of the show. Emmy Russell is a great example of this. Everyone was excited to see the granddaughter of the late great Loretta Lynn compete on the show. Her bloodline was enough to get many fans excited. Then, they heard her sing. At that point, they were sold on the young Nashville native.
Videos by American Songwriter
Russell isn’t leaning on her famous family to get her to the top on American Idol. At the same time, she doesn’t seem to be putting all of her eggs in the Idol basket. She started releasing music before she received her Golden Ticket and has continued to do so with some regularity since.
[RELATED: Watch Emmy Russell Perform “Memaw’s Guitar” for Loretta Lynn Before ‘American Idol’ Fame]
However, since getting that Golden Ticket, Russell has found countless new fans. Those who can’t get enough of her voice are in luck. She currently has four singles available to stream right now.
Can’t Get Enough of Emmy Russell? Stream These Songs
Those who haven’t heard Russell’s output are in for a treat. They show that she isn’t just a great singer. It seems that she also inherited some of her grandmother’s songwriting talent. She co-penned three of the four songs she’s released so far.
“Skinny” (Emmy Russell, Song House)
Co-penned with Nashville-based songwriting collective Song House, Russell released her debut song “Skinny” in August 2023. It’s a powerful and personal song about dealing with body image issues and eating disorders.
About the song, she told People that her issues with disordered eating began in high school. She was able to get it under control for a while. Then, while on a mission trip in Brazil at the age of 22, the issue came back. “All of a sudden I started getting a little bit sick and I was like, ‘Why am I not keeping any of my food down?’,” she recalled. “Then, I started seeing results from me getting sick and then it just spun out of control,” she added.
After releasing the track via Song House, it blew up. That’s when a rep from American Idol contacted her and invited her to audition.
“Breakup Song” (Russell, Chris Rafetto, Kenny Foster)
Russell’s American Idol audition aired on February 25. That night, she showed up with no makeup sporting a hoodie and jeans. She said that she wanted to be herself for the judges and if she got a “yes” she’d know it was because she had the talent to compete. Russell performed “Skinny” and “Breakup Song.”
She released the song she co-penned with Chris Rafetto and Kenny Foster the same day her audition aired.
“Beautiful Things” Emmy Russell’s Only Cover (Benson Boone, Evan Blair, Jack Lafrantz)
Benson Boone released “Beautiful Things” in January as the lead single from his debut album Fireworks & Rollerblades. It peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the charts in several countries.
Russell released her rendition of the song on March 1, just days after auditioning on American Idol. She has also performed the song on the show.
“Like That” (Russell, Matthew Rad)
Emmy Russell continues to regularly release new music. Her latest, “Like That” hit streaming platforms on April 1. Before releasing the song, she performed it during Hollywood Week on American Idol. In an interview before her performance, she said the song is “Deeply, deeply personal.” Then, she added, “All my songs are basically a confession. I write songs that I’m scared to sing.”
Keep an Eye Out for New Music from Emmy Russell
There seems to be a pattern to Russell’s releases. First, she debuts the songs on American Idol. Then, she releases them to streaming platforms. Most recently, she performed an original song called “Want You.” So, one could assume it will be available to stream on repeat soon.
Featured Image by Jason Kempin/Getty Images
