Aretha Franklin’s Granddaughter Turns American Idol Audition Into Lesson On Patience.

closeup of grace franklin, who is aretha franklin’s granddaughter, hugging lionel richie after her american idol audition

Everyone who auditions for American Idol can expect to feel the pressure of potentially performing for millions, but Grace Franklin is a special case. On top of the expected amount of stress, she also carries the legacy of her grandma, Aretha Franklin.

Still, Grace walked into the audition room with confidence, proud of where she came from while also ready to make it clear that she’s her own person with her own style. She started by singing Lauryn Hill’s rendition of “Killing Me Softly” followed by one of her grandma’s classics, “Ain’t No Way.”All three judges were impressed by her potential but, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie felt she wasn’t quite ready.

Although Katy Perry didn’t agree, two “no’s” were enough to keep Grace from moving forward in the competition. As upsetting as this must have been for the 15-year-old, Richie took the time to make sure Grace understood that a “no” right now wasn’t a “no” forever – the two of them even shared a hug before she left!

Watch Grace’s audition below and don’t forget to share.

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