Lionel Richie was moved to tears by 17-year-old blind teen’s 'American Idol' audition — and you might too
'American Idol' judge Lionel Richie couldn't hold back his tears after hearing the emotional story of a contestant. During an episode of 'American Idol' Season 17, the judges were moved to tears after learning the heartwarming story of the 17-year-old Virginia native, Shayy Winn, who went legally blind one year before auditioning for the ABC singing competition. “A year ago, I started complaining to my mother about not being able to see the whiteboard. I was like, ‘Oh man, I’m going to get glasses now.’ I went to [the doctor’s office] and she had done a bunch of tests on my eyes. She came back and was like, ‘You need to go to the ER now,’" Winn said, according to People Magazine.
Winn further added, "I got dragged to my MRI, and that’s when they found a tumor in my brain. One doctor was like, ‘Okay, Shayy, I’m going to try and save you from going blind. I was like, ‘What’d he just say?' When I first came home from the hospital, I had come home and I couldn’t see everything. Once I got back into school, that was the bad part. The kids were so cruel. They would call me names. They would kick my cane. They pushed me. I asked my mom at one point, ‘Why did that happen to me?’ But on the other side, I have people that have been really supportive, and I have made new friends. There’s a whole other side to life that I never knew about. People are always going to say, ‘You can’t do this, you can’t do that.’ But you can do it. You got it!”
For her audition on 'American Idol', Winn performed a rendition of 'Rise Up' by Andra Day. Winn's performance left the judges Katy Perry and Luke Bryan visibly emotional, but Richie was especially overwhelmed with emotions. When he was asked to share his feedback on Winn's performance, the 'Stuck on You' hitmaker told the budding singer, "You have wrecked me. You’re a lesson to us all. It’s the power of the spirit, and you’re the reminder just how blessed we are. I’m so in love with you.”
During season 17’s Hollywood Week, Winn's group 'Unexpected Vibe' surprised judges with a heartfelt gesture, when they wore blackout goggles onstage in solidarity with her. Richie was deeply moved and rushed onstage to embrace the singers. Over the last couple of years, the regular fans of the show have seen him get emotional during several 'American Idol' auditions. In a season 21 episode, Richie nearly choked up after contestant Iam Tongi sang a heartfelt rendition of 'Monsters' by James Blunt as a tribute to his late father, Rodney Tongi, who passed away a few months before his audition.
Following his performance, Iam received a standing ovation from the judges. While sharing his feedback, Richie said, "I was not worried about whether you were going to make it through the song; I was worried whether we were going to make it through the song." Soon after, Perry chimed in, "You sang it, you delivered it, and you're making these grown men cry. You hit a nerve and that's what great storytellers do." At last, Bryan said, "Gosh, man, you've got a great voice. You did everything perfectly, and I love you, and I just want to see you have fun in this whole thing."