Emmy Russell became a star on “American Idol” last year, in part, because the judges pushed her to come out of her shell and she did that to the best of her abilities in front of the camera.

Russell earned rave reviews on social media for her stripped-down cover of “Coal Miner’s Daughter” on the April 29, 2024 episode and ultimately made it to Idol ‘s Top 5 before being eliminated one week before the finals. Abi Carter won Idol season 22 on May 19, 2024.

Loretta Lynn's granddaughter has come forward and said she was upset after American Idol judges requested her to perform a song from her grandmother's catalog.

More than a year after she first auditioned for ABC's American Idol, Loretta Lynn's granddaughter Emmy Russell recalls one moment that made her mad while on the show. During her recent appearance on The Thrivalist Podcast,