Bella Emry may not perform live, but no one would ever know that from her American Idol audition.
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During the last night of Idol auditions, the 22-year-old Oregonian opened up about her lack of performance experience. Emry revealed that, though singing is “second nature” to her, she spends her days working in a restaurant and for her family’s business, not performing.
Despite that, Emry decided to give American Idol a shot due to its “life-changing” potential.
For her audition, Emry sat on a stool, played guitar, and delivered an incredible rendition of Morgan Wallen’s “I’m a Little Crazy.” Wallen released the track on his 2025 album, I’m the Problem.
After Emry’s incredible performance, judges Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie, and Carrie Underwood were stunned by her lack of experience.
“That was great. I’m surprised to hear you say that you don’t perform,” Underwood said. “You seemed very comfortable just telling a story. Nobody was breathing when you were singing. We were just kind of hanging on every word with you. Well done.”
Bryan agreed, stating, “You’re so raw and unpolished. I wasn’t expecting you to be able to really hold our attention like that.”
“You didn’t hit a bad note. You held the guitar together really, really well,” Bryan marveled. “You delivered that song in your own way.”
Lionel Richie Gives High Praise to an American Idol Hopeful
Richie also praised the singer, telling her, “When you walked out, Bella, first thing I said was, ‘Very cool vibe.’ When you finished singing, Bella, I said, ‘Very cool vibe.’”
“Idol University has been waiting on you,” Richie added. “You are scholarship material, my dear.”
A stunned Emry beamed as she earned three yeses from the judges and her Golden Ticket to Hollywood Week.
“This is completely and utterly outside my comfort zone,” she told the cameras after the fact. “I’m sure it will get even harder, but I feel a little bit more like I can do this, like this is an actual possibility for me.”
American Idol airs Mondays on ABC.
Photo by Disney/Eric McCandless
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