Who Is Paris Tassin?

The 10th season of ‘American Idol’ is nascent, but the buzz about Paris Tassin, the 23-year-old single mom who turned on judge Jennifer Lopez’s water works with her rendition of Carrie Underwood’s 'Temporary Home,’ is at deafening web levels. Little is known about Tassin, other than what she revealed at her audition.

While some ‘Idol’ watchers have groaned at the judges and producers for allowing contestants' sob stories to resonate and come to the forefront, one thing’s for sure: Tassin can sing her butt off. The fact that she has a special needs child is just part of her story.

In her audition tape, Tassin, a medical assistant, said that getting pregnant at 18 was "tough" and that "I wasn’t ready yet." When she went to the doctor to find out her child’s gender, she learned that it was a girl who was suffering from hydrocephalus -- and that the baby might not survive. Tassin said doctors advised against continuing the pregnancy and "that it wasn’t going to be good if I I did." But Tassin elected to move forward.

While her daughter Keira wears hearing aids to adjust for her hearing loss, she is a healthy child for the most part. Tassin exclaimed, “She’s the best thing that ever happened to me. I am very proud of her. I am singing for her.”

Given last night’s performance and America’s subsequent fascination with her, we'll be following her experience closely. Welcome to ‘American Idol,’ Paris! We can’t wait to watch you and Keira on your journey.

Watch Paris Tassin Perform Carrie Underwood's 'Temporary Home' on 'American Idol'