Loretta Lynn's granddaughter Emmy Russell is trying to make a name for herself on American Idol. Still, she found inspiration in the late singer.
Currently, Russell is in the Top 24 on American Idol. She's wowed judges thanks to both her voices as well as her original music as well. During her audition, she performed the song "Skinny" for the judges, winning them over. Speaking with 94 Country, Russell explained how she followed her grandmother's advice to be gutsy.
She said, "Memaw was a little bit too truthful sometimes. I think that that's what gave me the ammunition to write a song like 'Skinny.' I think I'm completely different than my grandma, but someone commented and said, 'You're so much like her, because that was such a gutsy song to sing just like so many songs in her time were so gutsy.' I was like, 'Oh, wow.' Maybe she gave me a little truth gene. But was it scary for her like it is for me? I think probably a little less for her. She's very brave."
Loretta Lynn's Advice to Emmy Russell
When appearing on American Idol, Russell said she was at her most vulnerable. Singing the song about an eating disorder was raw for the singer.
"I would have never thought, 'Hey, you're gonna be on American Idol, and you're gonna sing a song about your eating disorder that you're suffering with right now. And yeah, they're gonna say that you're also related to Loretta Lynn.' I showed up to my audition with no makeup on, and I played my most vulnerable song. I think I can just be myself, and I'm really excited that I can just be myself. And being ordinary, and not changing everything about yourself to look like you're from Hollywood - it works, and people resonate," Russell said.
Likewise, Russell also followed Lynn's advice to have two songs for her audition. She explained that Lynn told her that audiences like something that they can sing along to.
She continued, "While performing I would sing one song everyone knew, which was 'If I Die Young' [by The Band Perry]. And then I'd sing an original song. Memaw always told me to do that 'cause everyone wants to sing along with you. But then if you want to share your heart, do that too, but not too much. That's her advice. And then I sang 'If I Die Young,' and everyone loved whenever I sang that song. But yeah, I was like, 11 years old."
