"American Idol's" Season 22 premiere episode —which aired on Sunday (Feb. 18)— ended with a teaser that the relative of a music legend auditioned for the show. Per her local newspaper the Kingston Springs (Tenn.) Gazette, that famous kinfolk is none other than Emmy Russell, a granddaughter of the late Loretta Lynn.
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Russell's mom Patsy was part of '90s recording act The Lynns with her twin sister Peggy. Now, the 25-year-old 'Idol" hopeful is looking to become a third-generation country star.
"I just wanted to be around other young creatives like me," Russell told her hometown paper. "I think I just like the hard work of it, and it was outside the traditional way that my grandma had—which is a publishing deal, get the record deal. I wanted something out there and fun and just forced me to do it because I'm so shy and scared of going for it."
Russell's already-taped audition will be part of "Idol's" episode airing on Feb. 25. Her biggest stage before now came at her grandmother's Oct. 2022 memorial service at the Grand Ole Opry House. That afternoon, Russell sang "Lay Me Down" with Lukas Nelson, one of Willie Nelson's sons who found his own voice with his band Promise of the Real. Her solo Opry debut followed on April 13, 2023— which was the day before her grandmother's birthday.
"It's pretty cool to start your career by thanking the person, my grandma and honoring her by this being my first time alone with a guitar since her passing," Russell wrote on Instagram. "I use to run from my family heritage and wanna make my own path. I feel a deep conviction to thank, accept and celebrate her, cause she believed in me from the start before anyone did. Not ashamed anymore."
