‘American Idol': Kellyanne And George Conway’s Daughter Wows Judges, Gets Love From Mom & Dad
Happy Valentine's Day! And for those of us who are fonder of reality talent shows than chocolate, V-Day 2021 was extra sweet with the premiere of American Idol's Season 19 on Sunday, Feb. 14.
After an all-virtual season challenged the show's producers last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, judges Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan are back in the studio...but will be practicing social distancing and auditioning hopefuls in just three California cities instead of their usual national rounds.
As Perry put it: "Dreams are not canceled." And speaking along those lines, the night's most notorious contestant, who has worked overtime to attempt to cancel her own family, appeared toward the end of the premiere and had several surprises in store.
Claudia Conway, probably best known to most as the TikTok-obsessed teen with an axe to grind regarding her politically famous parents, Kellyanne and George Conway, showed up to perform for the judges and prove that she is more than just a contentious child who gets into explosive battles with her mother over alleged risque social media shares.
Conway officially revealed she'd be appearing on the premiere last week. "My mother is Kellyanne Conway. She worked for Donald Trump," she said. "And my dad is George Conway. He worked against Donald Trump. It's a lot, but I agree to disagree with my mom and my dad."
She added, "You probably know me as 15-year-old emancipation girl or that blond woman from Fox News' daughter. I'm a little more than that."
Fine and well. At the audition, both mom and dad were there, "Claudia!" Kellyanne shrieked at her daughter via camera. "You ready to go baby? You excited?"
Claudia admitted she was nervous, to which her mother replied, "You should be nervous, honey, it's a very humbling experience...winners are people who are willing to lose."
Meanwhile, dad George hung out with an ear to the studio door, looking more nervous than Claudia herself...and even a bit teary-eyed. "I can't imagine anything that would make her happier than to get to do this," he observed.
"Our relationship is a little iffy," Claudia told the judges in an even voice when asked how she is getting along with her mom. That said, she held her own fairly well, starting off with a stanza of Rihanna’s “Love On the Brain."
Perry cut her off quickly and asked for a different song. Claudia noted that she also had Adele’s “When We Were Young” up her sleeve, which Perry nodded at, and told her to put all the drama of her recent past into.
All three judges watched, mesmerized, and interjected a few "yeahs" as she handled the song with aplomb.
"You've obviously been through a lot for a young girl," noted Bryan approvingly, while Perry added some sage advice: "You need to calm the storm that's around you...you need to get off your phone, you need to stop reading your comments, push it aside. Because if not, you may not ever rise above your dad or your mom. It’s your choice."
Although Bryan voted no, Richie and Perry gave her a yes. It'll be interesting to see how this develops.
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