It's truly a shame to see how much the internet has gotten to Emmy Russell during her American Idol run.
The top 5 contestant took to her Instagram story to share a post that raised a ton of questions. She took a quote from author and pathologist Dr. Caroline Leaf, stating, "Honesty without kindness is cruelty. Kindness without honesty is manipulation."
What Could Emmy Russell Have Meant?
The quote could go in a couple of different directions. Many people callously chops her deep run up into nepotism. She is the granddaughter of Loretta Lynn and that rich legacy will always follow Russell. One X user claimed that she is merely "coasting on the tails of nepotism."
Perhaps that is where the first part of the quote holds weight. Russell may look at the fans' honesty as cruelty because they don't engage with her performances from a pure place. They may always slight her for things she can't control.
On the other hand, the second half of the quote could be Russell expressing her worry that there might be credence to the comments. As much as she's been scrutinized, the judges have adored her this season, catapulting her into the upper echelon. Why would they be so overwhelmingly kind if everyone else seems to take issue with my performances? She could easily feel skeptical that they're just being nice, and dishonest in how they truly feel about her work. Given how overwhelmingly positive the judges can be, there is credence to those concerns.
Some of her detractors come by their criticisms in purely musical terms rather than taking aim at her family history. X user @kryskaryn took a shot at her less powerful singing with an awkward Jeff Goldblum gif, saying, "I feel like she sings like she's having a conversation....take that how you will."
She doesn't seem to be fully comfortable going above and beyond on the performance aspect. When watching her 'Shut Up and Dance' performance, it felt really awkward watching Russell turn it into a country ballad. It seems like an aggressive misunderstanding of why the song works; it's romantic, sure but it's also a whirlwind. You don't get that adrenaline rush sitting behind a piano.
Regardless, I'm awfully reluctant to call her talentless and a beneficiary of nepotism. She's definitely talented; her presence behind the microphone radiates off of the television and her voice is graceful and warm. She's exactly how I like a good country singer. We will have to see if she expands on her dimension or if she plays her song choices a little better.
