11-03-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Meet Loretta Lynn's granddaughter, Emmy Russell – who was ‘so mad' when judges asked her to sing her grandma's song, ‘Coal Miner's Daughter', on American Idol …
Emmy Russell was 'so mad' when she found out the
American Idol judges wanted her to sing her famous grandma's song for one of her performances last April.
Emmy Russell in a May 2024 post asking her followers to vote for her on American Idol. Photo: @emmyroserussell/Instagram
The granddaughter of late American singer-songwriter Loretta Lynn opened up about the gig during an interview on The Thrivalist Podcast with Jamie George. The judges who picked the song for her to sing were
Katy Perry , Luke Bryan and
Lionel Richie , per People magazine.
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'So on American Idol, I did my grandma's song. Well, they actually let the judges pick three songs. And the only one I knew was 'Coal Miner's Daughter',' she said on the podcast. 'I'm already facing so much, trying to act in courage, and I just remember seeing that and I was so mad. I was like, 'Ugh.''
She said she thought that singing her late grandma's famous song 'was just going to add to' reports of nepotism. 'It was weird because I still felt that still small voice say, 'I need you to stay, and I need you to show up,'' she added. 'And I got on the piano and I played 'Coal Miner's Daughter' for the vocal coaches … and it was just how I wanted to play it.'
The other song choices included 'Here You Come Again' by
Dolly Parton and 'Suddenly I See' by KT Tunstall, according to People.
Here's what we know about Loretta Lynn's talented granddaughter.
How is Emmy Russell related to Loretta Lynn?
Emmy Russell shared a photo in memory of her grandmother, country music legend Loretta Lynn, who died in October 2022. Photo: @emmyroserussell/Instagram
Emmy Russell is one of Loretta Lynn's whopping 26 grandchildren.
