Meggie Iyer Earns Standing Ovation With Bonnie Raitt Cover On ‘American Idol’

19-year-old Meggie Iyer performed on American Idol Sunday, February 18, singing Bonnie Raitt’s hit song “I Can’t Make You Love Me.”

Meggie, a student at Indiana University, is living out her dream of performing on American Idol. The Indiana native shared about her American Idol journey on her LinkedIn profile.

“As many of you may know, music is my greatest passion, and being part of American Idol has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember,” Meggie shared. “Having the opportunity to showcase my talent on such a renowned platform was both exhilarating and humbling. My journey through the audition process allowed me to connect with fellow musicians, grow as an artist, and learn from music legends like Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan.”

She continued, “…I invite each and every one of you to join me on this thrilling ride. Your support means the world to me, and I am so excited to share this chapter of my life with all of you.”

“I Can’t Make You Love Me”

Written by Mike Reid and Allen Shamblin, “I Can’t Make You Love Me” rose to popularity in 1991 when Bonnie Raitt released it as the second single from her eleventh studio album, Luck of the Draw. The song quickly reached the top-20 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart becoming one of Raitt’s most successful singles.

Mike Reid and Allen Shamblin rewrote the song several times before they created the masterpiece that is still making waves in the music industry today.

Allen Shamblin shared in an interview with the Tennessean that he instantly knew he was part of a good thing when they finally landed on the tune for the song.

“We’d worked on this song for more than six months. One day, he said, ‘Come up to the living room,’ where his piano was. He sat down and started playing this melody, and it was one of the most moving pieces of music I’d heard. I mean, it hit me in a hard way … Instantly, I knew it was the best thing I’d ever been a part of.”

Since it was penned in 1991, this song has been covered by many music legends including Kenny Rogers, Boys II Men, George Michael, Priyanka Chopra, Prince, and Adele.

Meggie Iyer delivered a stunning performance of “I Can’t Make You Love Me” on American Idol

The 19-year-old stunned the judges with her rendition of the classic song leaving them speechless.

Watch Meggie Iyer sing “I Can’t Make You Love Me” in the video below.