Emmy Russell pulled out all the stops during Sunday night’s episode (April 28) of American Idol when she delivered a cover of the 1999 Blink-182 hit, “All The Small Things.”
A fan favorite and granddaughter of Loretta Lynn, Emmy Russell was fighting for a place in the Top 8 during the latest episode of American Idol. During Sunday night’s live show, the remaining ten contestants were tasked with performing a song from the year they were born.
RELATED: EMMY RUSSELL REVEALS THAT SHE ALMOST WALKED OUT OF HER AMERICAN IDOL AUDITION
Ahead of her performance of “All The Small Things” by Blink-182, Russell spent some time with Shania Twain, this season’s Top 10 mentor.
Shania said that she thinks the song is “perfectly suited” to Emmy’s voice and encouraged her to use all of the “wonderful little chokes and cracks and air” to make the song her own.
The big song was a big risk for Emmy who hasn’t kept it a secret that she is shy and fearful of public performances. But, she overcame both when she took the stage to sing the massive rock hit and earned a standing ovation for it.
“You have a real story-telling, purity voice,” Lionel Richie told Russell. “And more importantly, I saw something on that last performance that I really enjoyed. You were having fun. You were actually relaxed and I’m so happy for that.”
Katy Perry agreed. “Comfortable looks beautiful on you. You really are growing into this. This is actually working for you, and that song was a great choice.”
Judge Luke Bryan also praised Emmy and was in awe that she had pulled off a Blink-182 song.
“If you would have told me a month and a half ago that one of your best vocals would be a Blink-182 song….” Luke said. “It was great. It was so you and that’s why we love you. That’s why America’s loving you.”
Emmy Russell first won over the American Idol judges and audience with her stripped down audition performance.
Authenticity has long been important to Emmy Russell who grew up in the spotlight as the granddaughter of one of the greatest female artists in country music history, Loretta Lynn.
LIST: SEE ALL OF EMMY RUSSELL’S AMERICAN IDOL PERFORMANCES
Ahead of her Idol audition, Russell washed off all of her makeup and chose to wear blue jeans, a green hoodie and tennis shoes in hopes that she would be judged on her voice, not her appearance. She then wowed the judges with her honest and emotional original song called “Skinny” about her struggle with an eating disorder.
In the weeks that followed, Emmy Russell continued to endear herself to viewers with her vulnerability and one-of-a-kind voice.
Was Emmy’s performance of “All The Small Things” enough to protect her from elimination Sunday night? Results will be announced at the end of the show.
In the meantime, watch Emmy Russell’s awesome Blink-182 cover in the video below.