Although growing up with Loretta Lynn as her grandmother, Emmy Russell didn’t always embrace her country roots. But over the last few weeks, the singer has embraced her past to help shape her future. Currently in the Top 7 on American Idol, Russell found herself continuing in the competition thanks to Lynn’s famous song “Coal Miner’s Daughter.” Thankfully to her grandmother and fans as he hopes to become the next American Idol, the singer recently shared the vision she received when taking the stage for her special performance.
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Posting a video on Instagram, Russell fought through numerous emotions as she recalled singing “Coal Miner’s Daughter” on American Idol. During the video, the singer explained how she felt like she was in heaven and got a chance to hug her grandmother. Again, fighting back tears, Russell insisted the moment helped heal her.
Gaining thousands of likes, fans showered the singer with love, writing, “You are precious, Emmy. Don’t ever lose that purity that lives inside of you. It’s straight from Jesus.” Another fan added, “The entire performance was truly brilliant. And I saw the moment. The moment where you just started beaming and came into your own. Words cannot express how happy I am for you!!!”
Emmy Russell Admits To Trying To Run Away From Her Past
Besides sharing her thoughts surrounding her performance, Russell also opened up about her past with People. She said, “I would always run away from my family and just not want to be a part of it. And I think this was the first time that I said, ‘I’m proud. I’m proud to be in this family ’cause with the family comes a blessing, but with it comes a curse.”
While once running away from her past, Russell claimed, “I think just closing my eyes and telling her, ‘I’m proud of you.’ I did that in rehearsal. I was like, ‘I’m proud of you.’ I want people to feel proud of their story, where they’ve come from, and I hope that that song made them feel like, ‘Oh, I can be proud of where I come from.’ I’m just really grateful.”
Showcasing both her talent and honesty, Russell continues to dominate American Idol. As for judge Katy Perry, who picked “Coal Miner’s Daughter”, she said, “I knew she was going to ace it because she sang it a thousand times. She really did and it was just a jaw-drop moment.”
(Emmy Russell Sings “Lose You to Love Me” by Selena Gomez – American Idol 2024, n.d.)
