Following the premiere episode of Season 22 of "American Idol" which aired on Feb. 18, an upcoming audition by a relative of a music legend was teased. The following Sunday, viewers met Emmy Russell, a granddaughter of the late country legend Loretta Lynn.
The 24-year-old Nashville resident wowed the judges with her original song "Skinny." It was a great performance— the kind that could've landed a golden ticket to Hollywood without the feel-good story element. But "Idol" producers love a compelling storyline, and what better to draw viewers to Russell and her on-screen journey than the truth? It's the unfolding story of someone who's stepping outside the shadow of an all-time great while still owning her place in a famous and influential family.
Beyond her family ties and her experiences singing as a youngster with Lynn, Emmy is no novice. "Skinny's" been on streaming services since August of 2023, and she's got a newer single, as well. She's also taken the Opry House stage twice for high-profile gigs.
A devout Christian, Emmy finds purpose in life beyond chasing a spot in the same business as not just her grandmother but also her great aunt Crystal Gayle, her mother Patsy Russell, her cousin Tayla Lynn Finger and others that made the family a country music dynasty. However, if Emmy's "Idol" audition is any implication, she's got a shot a clearing her own trail to creative acclaim.
Read on to meet Emmy.
She's Part of One of Country Music's First Families
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As both we and "Idol" have well established, Emmy is one of Lynn's 26 grandchildren. Her mother Patsy Russell is one of Lynn's twins. More specifically, Patsy and her sister Peggy were the two youngest of their mother's six children. Patsy's named after Lynn's mentor Patsy Cline, while Peggy shares her name with one of their aunts, fellow recording artist Peggy Sue.
The twins were recording artists in their own right as '90s country duo The Lynns. Though Patsy hardly reached the same level of fame as her mom or her aunt Gayle, her discography adds another level to Emmy's mission to stand on her own two feet as an artist.
"I think that when you come from a musical family, the shadow is so big," Patsy said on camera ahead of Emmy's "Idol" audition. "How do I fill those shoes? The deal is you don't. You make your own shadow."
She's Hardly New to Country Music
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Emmy brings experience as a singer, songwriter and live performer to "Idol."
Beyond having two songs on Spotify ("Skinny" and new single "Breakup Song"), the famous granddaughter's no stranger to stages around Nashville. Aside from relatively low-pressure gigs at the now-closed Ernest Tubb Record Shop and elsewhere around Music City, she's been under the bright lights of the Grand Ole Opry House at least twice.
In October of 2022, she joined Lukas Nelson, a son of Willie Nelson, for a duet of "Lay Me Down" at Lynn's memorial service, which was aired on CMT. That performance earned both Lukas and Emmy a 2023 CMT Music Awards nomination for Performance of the Year.
Emmy's official Opry debut followed on April 13, 2023. That night, Emmy sang a very personal song titled "Memaw's Guitar," which is inspired by her receiving one of Lynn's guitars as a present for 15th birthday.
"It's pretty cool to start your career by thanking the person, my grandma and honoring her by this being my first time alone with a guitar since her passing," Emmy wrote on Instagram upon sharing the announcement of her Opry debut. "I use to run from my family heritage and [want to] make my own path. I feel a deep conviction to thank, accept and celebrate her, cause she believed in me from the start before anyone did. Not ashamed anymore. She was never ashamed of me... I'm a granddaughter, and I'm Emmy... it's all apart of me! This is the start of a beautiful journey. Couldn't be more excited."
She's Got Her Own Style —Musically and Fashion-Wise
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Though she's looked glamorous for the before-mentioned Opry appearances, Emmy chose to be dressed-down in a green hoodie for her "Idol" audition. That's likely because to stand on her own feet, she's not trying to "look country" in a way that's befitting a grandchild of Lynn.
"God didn't create me to be someone who dressed and looked like [country's stereotypical traditions], to the point of turning up my Southern accent when I was onstage," she told the Tennessean. "My family is obviously important to me, but [having comfort in myself] aside from that, I've lived my own life at this point and want to share some of the stories [from my existence]."
Upon hearing "Skinny," "Idol" judge Katy Perry felt that Emmy's music didn't fit in a Lynn family box, either.
"You're an A+ songwriter. So was your grandma. You got the gift," Perry explained after Emmy's performance. "I don't think you need to compare yourself to what Grandma was. You're totally different. You shouldn't give yourself all that pressure."
Her Passions Lie Beyond Country Music
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While developing her own image and sound for country stages, Emmy spent time on something way more important to her. Per the Tennessean, Emmy spent early adulthood traveling and doing missionary work.
