Lucy Love Gets Standing Ovation from Judges for Original Song “Boulders” on ‘American Idol’

The 28-year-old Holly Grove, Arkansas native Lucy Love has had a rollercoaster of a season so far on American Idol. On Sunday (April 23), that ride continued.

Videos by American Songwriter

When the show premiered in February, Love almost didn’t make it past her audition. But thanks to judge Lionel Richie, she got a second chance and impressed the judges, allowing her to go through to the next round.

“I’m from a long line of people who never had the opportunity to make something of themselves,” said Love, a mother of two, that first audition. “I did not have a dad and my mom, she was kind of like in and out of our lives.”

She added, “Music was my safe haven, my refuge. Music was the thing that I did that I just knew that I could have self-esteem in. I could be fat, I could be ugly, but the one thing you cannot say is that I cannot sing.”

Now, Love is in the show’s Top 20 and singing to go further.

Singing her own song, “Boulders,” on Sunday, Love impressed the judges. She had a full voice, despite some nerves. I’m carrying boulders, sang Love.

Following the performance, Love got a standing ovation from the show’s three judges, Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan.

The week prior, Love covered Tina Turner’s “What’s Love Got to Do With It.” Previously, Love kept her season alive by singing the Bob Dylan classic (made famous by Adele), “To Make You Feel My Love.”

Coached by Jordin Sparks, winner of the sixth season of American Idol, Love went into herself emotionally as she rehearsed the Dylan tune, learning about the song through the lens of her own pain. Love revealed that she is going through a divorce and she leaned on that emotion to deliver her rendition of the track.

“It took a long time for me to believe in myself,” Love said. “And now I believe in myself. And I deserve this.”

Check out Love’s performance below. And voting info to get Love to the next round can be found here.

Photo: ABC/Eric McCandless

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