On Monday, February 23, Hollywood Week Officially Kicked Off On American Idol
For the first time ever, American Idol held Hollywood Week in Nashville, Tennessee. More than 100 contestants who earned a Golden Ticket during auditions arrived ready to prove to the judges that they have what it takes to move forward in the competition.
By the end of the night, only 30 hopefuls could move forward, and each of them had just one chance to impress the judges with a song of their choice.
One of the most talked-about performances of the night came from 29-year-old Keyla Richardson, who gave a stunning cover of “I Won’t Give Up,” by Jason Mraz.
It wasn’t just a big moment for Keyla because it was her chance to move forward in the competition. The performance also meant a lot to her on a personal level. She wanted to use the moment to show her young son, Drew, that he can do anything he sets his mind to.
In her video package ahead of the performance, she shared that she was dedicating the song to him.
“The song I’m singing today is ‘I Won’t Give Up’ by Jason Mraz. It speaks to me because the first thing I thought about is just me and my son. So when I sing the song, I’m singing to him,” she said. “I do want to be somebody for my son. I want him to know you can do anything you put your mind to do.”
Keyla Richardson Gets A Standing Ovation From All Three Judges
Before Keyla walked on stage, judge Carrie Underwood noticed her son sitting in the audience, waiting for his mom to perform. She walked over and asked him if he wanted to watch his mom sing from the judges’ table.
The panel made room so Drew could sit front and center, right in Carrie’s chair, where he would have a perfect view of Keyla’s performance.
As she performed, viewers could see Drew quietly mouthing the lyrics, singing along with his mom. At one point, Carrie leaned over and whispered in his ear, “She’s doing real good right now.”
By the end of her performance, all three of the judges were on their feet, giving Keyla a standing ovation.
“I don’t know how you sang with him looking at you like that,” Bryan began. “Listen, it’s so good to see you here. I love your look. I love the song. You just slayed that and even showed us more of what you are.”
And if you weren’t already emotional after Keyla’s powerful performance, Drew then shared his reaction to seeing his mom shine on stage.
“You did great Mom, I mean your confidence, the way you just sung to the whole audience really warmed my heart,” he adorably said.
“Whoever’s most likely to get fired is me and he may have just took my job,” Luke jokingly added before Lionel Richie told Keyla, “Great job. That was beautiful.”
The show didn’t air exactly what Carrie’s feedback was, but she could be heard telling Drew that his mother did great as Keyla walked off the stage.
But was it enough to advance in the competition?
**SPOILER**
Later in the night, the judges called all the contestants out in groups to reveal their fate. Narrowing down dozens of talented singers is never easy, but when it was Keyla’s group’s turn, the judges knew exactly what to do.
The judges revealed that they’d be moving forward in the competition.
So, fans will get to see Keyla sing once again, and chances are, her son will be right there cheering her on in the next round, too!
Watch Keyla Richardson sing “I Won’t Give Up” in the video below.
