Who Is Emmy Russell? Loretta Lynns Granddaughter Hits 'American Idol'

Emmy Russell is following her grandmother’s footsteps all the way to Hollywood.

Born to Patsy Lynn and Phillip Russell, Emmy Russell, 25, is the granddaughter of country music legend and “Coal Miner’s Daughter” songwriter Loretta Lynn. Russell’s audition for season 22 of American Idol aired on Sunday, February 25, and fans watched as she wowed judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan with her original song, “Skinny.”

The judges did not know Russell’s country music lineage before she walked into her audition. “Growing up, I sang music my entire life,” she shared in her introduction. “I just love writing. I’m 24 years old. Songwriter, I love music. I don’t really sing out as much anymore, but growing up I sang on the road, my grandma’s a country singer.”

Lynn passed away in October 2022 at the age of 90.

When asked by Bryan who her grandmother was, Russell revealed her ancestry to the judges and the viewers at home. Russell then gave the American Idol crew a tour of her “meemaw’s house” in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee, which has been home to her family for generations.

“She’s one of the biggest country music singers of all time, but to me she’s just my grandma, and growing up on the bus and all that was very normal to me,” Russell said. In the audition room, the songwriter shared that while she may be “a little timid,” she wants to “challenge” herself and “own [her] voice.”

Russell impressed the judges with an emotional performance of her original song, enough that all three of them voted “yes” to send her to the next round of the competition in California.

“I was thinking about my grandma, but I was also like ‘Emmy, she’s with you and now it’s your turn,’” Russell said after her audition. “I think I’m more like her now than whenever I was trying to be like her. I’m really excited.”

Here’s more info about Emmy Russell:

What Has Emmy Said About Her ‘American Idol’ Audition?

Russell shared a video via Instagram on Monday, February 26, a day after her American Idol audition aired, expressing her gratitude for the positive response her song has received.

“This morning I’ve just been flooded with tears of how grateful I am and, honestly, really how humbled,” she said. “It’s crazy how — I don’t know. I’m just feeling super grateful. A lot of gratitude this morning. And thank you for every person that’s been so supportive about my American Idol audition and commenting and sharing it.”

Missionary Work

Before leaning into her career as a musician, Russell spent her early 20s traveling the world as a Christian missionary, per The Tennessean.

The Grand Ole Opry Performances

Russell took the stage at the Grand Ole Opry House in April 2023, according to TV Insider.

There, she performed a tribute to her grandmother with a song titled “Memaw’s Guitar,” played on a guitar gifted to her by Lynn on her 15th birthday. At the time, the Grand Ole Opry shared a photo of Russell’s performance via Instagram alongside a snap of Lynn playing guitar on the same stage decades prior.

She previously took the Opry stage with Lukas Nelson (son of Willie Nelson) for her grandmother’s memorial broadcast on CMT in October 2022, where they performed a rendition of “Lay Me Down,” a duet released by Loretta and Willie in 2016. The performance earned Russell a nomination for Performance of the Year at the 2023 CMT Music Awards.

Her Country Music Roots Beyond Loretta Lynn

Russell comes from a long line of country musicians. Not only is her grandmother a Country Music Hall of Famer, but her mother, Patsy Lynn, was one half of the country music duo, The Lynns, with twin sister Peggy from 1997-1999.

“She just wanted to do this honestly [and say], ‘This is who I am and this is what I do and this is my heart,’” Patsy said of her daughter’s American Idol audition. “I think that when you come from a musical family, the shadow is so big. How do I fill those shoes? Well, the deal is, you don’t. You make your own shadow.”

Russell is also the great-niece of country music singer Crystal Gayle, Lorretta’s younger sister, who is known for her 1977 hit single “Don’t Make My Brown Eyes Blue.”

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‘Skinny’ Was Released Before ‘American Idol’

Russell’s single “Skinny” was released on all musical platforms a year before her American Idol audition. The song details Russell’s struggles with disordered eating and was made in part with The Song House, a songwriting collective based in Nashville.

In August 2023, Song House released a video of Russell singing part of “Skinny” on TikTok. The song was officially released on September 15, 2023, along with an official music video starring Russell.

Russell’s latest single, titled “Break Up Song,” was released in 2024. As of February 2024, she has over 21,000 monthly listeners on Spotify.

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