On tonight’s episode of American Idol, Hannah Harper channeled her late grandfather’s legacy in a heartfelt performance of a country classic.
Harper has quickly become a standout for her authentic storytelling and stunning vocals, but she reveals the pressure started to really set in, knowing that the Top 20 would be revealed by the end of the night.
Plus, tonight she wasn’t just trying to win over the judges, she also had to impress her fellow Idol contestants, her family, and a panel of industry experts. For the first time, all three groups got the chance to vote to determine which three hopeful singers would earn one of the three esteemed platinum tickets up for grabs.
“Performing in front of the editor of Rolling Stone? Geez, Louise. There’s so many other eyes on us who get a say in our future. It’s a little frightening,” Harper admitted.
The Missouri native quickly put those fears aside to sing a rendition of Vince Gill’s “Go Rest High On That Mountain,” which also happens to be her late grandfather, Pawpaw Lew’s favorite song.
“I’m really excited about the Ohana round to have the chance to honor my grandpa. He was a patriarch. So many branches of talented people that came from him. He played music until the day he died,” she explained.
A slideshow of memories played across the screen, highlighting the profound impact Pawpaw Lew had on Harper and her family. In a 1992 interview about their family band, he said, “Bluegrass and gospel, that will keep us together.” These are words that Harper now hopes to carry forward for her own family.
She continued, “The legacy that he left was such a strong impression on my life. I want to do the same for my kids. I wish my grandpa was here to hear it. My grandma’s going to be here and she’s going to be so thrilled because it was his favorite song.”
Harper’s performance struck an immediate chord, bringing her family to tears as she poured her heart into every note and lyric of the signature song. By the end, she had fully made the track her own, and the judges and audience responded with a well-deserved standing ovation.
Luke Bryan spoke from the judging panel, and once again compared her to the likes of country music great, Dolly Parton.
“Gosh, there are so many parallels with your voice and Dolly [Parton] and it’s just so beautifully country,” he said. “But just remember that key that you got to at the end and really live in that space because your voice really opened up there. You’ve got the goods and that was…your voice is so beautiful to me.”
Lionel Richie added that she’s got “that straight authentic mountain voice.”
From the panel of industry experts, Dancing with the Stars pro and choreographer, Sasha Farber pointed out that it felt like she was “missing something” because she didn’t have her guitar in hand this time around.
“But I don’t know. I think she really delivered it and she felt like she was herself,” he added.
Hannah Harper’s performance was not enough to earn a platinum ticket at the end of the night, but she will be moving forward in the competition as she claimed a spot in the Top 20.
Next week, the stay-at-home mom and talented singer/songwriter will return to Hawaii to perform alongside her fellow contestants, this time with guidance from mentors Brad Paisley and Keke Palmer.
American Idol airs new episodes Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on ABC and streams the following day on Hulu.
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