Despite becoming known for a shaky performance, country singer Harper Grace is grateful for her tumultuous viral past.
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Harper Grace teamed up with Mason Ramsey on their duet "Live Lonely," which is a chillingly beautiful track. Ahead of the release, I got to speak with both of the budding artists, where I addressed their viral pasts.
For those who need a refresher, Harper Grace enjoyed a run on American Idol 2018 at only 16 years old. There, she exclusively sang her own original songs. Unfortunately, it's more likely that you remember her for her rendition of the national anthem in 2012.
She received an extraordinary amount of hate for her performance but has since turned into a stellar country artist. Talk about being forged in the fire.
I asked Harper Grace how it's felt to go from a viral sensation to a legitimate artist, and she said she's grateful for every part of her journey, even the harsher moments.
Harper Grace Is Grateful For Her Rocky Journey
As you can probably expect, it's been difficult to bounce back from such a viral incident. But she's bounced back all the same.
"It's been over a decade since the national anthem and I still get referred to as 'the anthem girl,'" she told me.
"Getting a lot of attention as a young girl, being told I shouldn't do the thing I love the most was quite a struggle," she explained, referencing all the hate that was thrown her way.
"In all honesty, I'm grateful for it," she said. "I look at life like a big ol' puzzle, and if you take a puzzle piece out, something's missing. So that's a part of my story that'll forever be there."
Wanting to be a singer and being known for one bad performance is hard, so she signed up for American Idol to set the record straight. Harper Grace "didn't want to be known as [the anthem girl] anymore."
"American Idol really taught me to hone into who I was as an artist and as a person," she continued. "I sang original music the whole entire time I was on the show, which made me feel very true to who I was and what I knew I was there to do."
Shortly after American Idol, she made many trips to Nashville and by 19, signed her record deal. It's inspiring stuff.
Considering her attitude toward life and her previous challenges, it's no wonder she's finally gaining the reputation she wants.
