When young Grace sang on the America Idol stage, she was under a great deal of stress. The America Idol judges were eager to see if she had the same musical aptitude as her grandmother, Aretha Franklin, who was known as the Queen of Soul. From March 25, 1942 until August 16, 2018 – and living on in memory of Aretha Franklin – the world will celebrate the life and musical legacy of one of America’s most iconic singers.
Aretha Franklin’s granddaughter, Leona “Nina” Paris, will compete on American Idol. This is quite an exciting development for Aretha Franklin admirers since it means the legend will be performing in front of a huge TV audience at long last. He tells a hilarious story about meeting Aretha Franklin when he was younger. He wanted to talk to her about music but all she cared about was preparing collard greens. Aretha Franklin’s musical legacy is one that will be celebrated for years to come. She was a true icon and an amazing singer. We can all learn a lot from her example.
Grace has a unique way of viewing her grandmother. While the average American would think of Aretha Franklin as a peerless star, Grace just views her as “grandma.” It was difficult for her to conceive of Franklin in any other light than the matriarch of her loving family.
Many people believe that Grace will follow in Aretha’s footsteps when it comes to her musical style, but the Detroit youngster informs the American Idol panel that she has a distinct style all her own. She doesn’t want to simply imitate her legendary grandmother; instead, she wants to create her own career in music.
For her audition, Grace picked the song “Killing Me Softly.” Although she is clearly a talented vocalist, her voice is not yet professionally polished – if she wants to succeed in the competitive business, she will have to mature.
Katy Perry thinks that Grace’s audition was “soft” while judge Luke Bryan called it “sleepy.” Grace is given another chance to perform, and she delivers a one-two punch with her version of “Ain’t No Way.” Katy Perry is smitten by her performance and invites her aboard the next round. However, the other judges, Richie and Bryan, disagree and refuse to let the young singer from Detroit join them on stage. Richie even provides Grace with some guidance. He advises her to practice.
However, Katy Perry is adamant in her desire to advance Grace in the American Idol process. She states that the young singer has “stardust” and “sparkle,” and if given a chance, she might be a star. “Give her a chance. I am sure Aretha wasn’t Aretha when she walked into the room, but somebody said, ‘Yes, I want to work with you. I want to develop you. You got something,’” Perry stated. But Lionel Richie did not think so. However, to get a better look at Grace, he left his judge’s seat. He said, “Go back and put the shyness behind you and the voice in front of you. You are going to be something amazing.”
In the video below, watch Katy Perry walk out on Lionel Richie from American Idol.
