On Monday, February 9, Season 24 of American Idol continued with another round of auditions, and it didn’t come without a few tears.
In the latest episode, judges Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie met a young hopeful named Lanii.
Lanii is a 19-year-old high school student who traveled all the way from Phoenix, Arizona, to audition in Nashville, Tennessee. It was her first time flying, and she made the trip completely on her own.
She shared that her father is currently in the ICU, which pushed her to take the leap and audition. Lanii explained that she wanted to prove herself and chase her dream in case her father isn’t able to be there much longer.
“This is all for him. I’m doing this for him,” she told the judges. “He believed in me and I’m here and I want this more than ever now.”
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The episode then cuts to a video package where Lanii opens up about her life and everything she’s had to push through to get there. She shares that her dad has always been her biggest supporter, even while battling addiction for many years.
“I’m very insecure about my voice, but my dad believed in me when no one else did,” she said. “He saw it in me, even when I didn’t see it in myself.”
“There were so many nights I would just cry from watching my dad stumble upstairs,” she added. “And he would say, ‘Tonight’s going to be my last drink’ every day.”
Lanii’s dad did eventually stop drinking, but by that point, the damage had already been done. He’s now living with liver failure and is currently waiting for a transplant.
“I really want my dad to be in my future, but this could be my last chance to show him his daughter tried for him,” Lanii said.
Lanii Brings Judge Lionel Richie To Tears
When it was time to show the judges what she could do, Lanii stood in front of them and sang Demi Lovato’s hit song, “Tell Me You Love Me.”
Carrie was the first to give feedback, and she didn’t hold back on how impressed she was with Lanii’s performance.
“You have an incredible voice,” Carrie said. “I don’t even know if you know what you could be capable of, but you completely owned that. That was awesome.”
Luke was up next, and he praised the young singer for the vulnerability she brought to the room, adding that he admired how authentic she came across.
“You’re out here being so real and open with us. You’re not hiding anything. You’re not trying to be something you’re not. You’re just being authentically you. There’s just something really special about you,” he said.
“How brave you are to get on a plane and roll the dice and just sing your little heart out. That’s what this show’s about,” Luke added.
When it was Lionel’s turn to speak, it was clear that Lanii’s performance and her story really tugged at his heartstrings.
“You got me all messed up over here in the corner,” Lionel says while he wipes away tears.
He continued, “You walked in the door with all this bubbling personality and gave us an artist. It’s pretty uplifting to see the human spirit. You’re a perfect example of it.”
Lanii ended up receiving a “yes” from all three of the judges, earning a Golden Ticket to Hollywood.
Since she was there by herself, Lionel, Carrie, and Luke stood up from the judges’ table and wrapped her in a big group hug to help her celebrate the moment.
Watch Lanii’s emotional audition in the video below.
