Aretha Franklin’s legacy will live on forever, and now, we’re getting another reminder of how far her influence has extended.
Over the weekend, fans got to see the legend’s 15-year-old granddaughter, Grace, audition for Season 20 of American Idol, proving that singing runs in the family.
“I was really close to my grandma,” the teenager said during the episode on Sunday, February 27. “I got to see her all the time. I used to travel with her a lot. I don’t think I could fully grasp the fact that she was known worldwide. Because to me, she was always just grandma.”
The teenager started her audition with a rendition of, “Killing Me Softly” by the Fugees before judge Katy Perry asked her to try another song. That’s when she belted out one of her grandmother’s songs, “Ain’t No Way.”
Perry was a big fan of Grace, saying, “I loved your rendition of your grandma’s song,” and voting for her to make it to the next round. Unfortunately, not everyone was in agreement, with fellow judge Lionel Richie voicing his concerns.
“You’re 15,” said the “Dancing On The Ceiling” singer. “You’ve got the family lineage. What we need to put now is time and some work in to get it up to par. The age and the voice has to all come together on the same path.”
Richie went on to tell Perry to “trust” him when she tried to argue in favor of Grace, saying, “If you go and come back and put the shyness behind you and the voice in front of you, you’re going to be something amazing and I don’t want to be the one to make you tip over and fall at this stage.”
“I’m going to the bar,” the “California Girls” singer said, threatening to quit the show. “There’s something wrong with your ears.”
Unfortunately, judge Luke Bryan also voted to send Grace home, so she did not proceed.
Aretha Franklin died in August 2018 at age 76 after a short battle pancreatic cancer. Luckily, regardless of their obstacles, her loved ones are making sure her legacy lives on.
