‘American Idol’ singer has a sweet connection with Carrie Underwood — she even brought proof
'American Idol' season 23 auditions were a rollercoaster of talent with several strong contenders ready to set the stage on fire. Among them is Drew Ryn, a standout performer who left a lasting impression on the judges. Ryn is a 28-year-old songwriter from Arizona who competed in the first-ever season of X Factor at the very young age of 14. She has since then gone on to release various songs. Ryn is now on 'American Idol' out there to make a name for herself. Ryn stepped on the stage of 'Idol' auditions with an infectious energy, immediately charming the judges.
When asked by Carrie Underwood where she's from, Ryn said, "I'm from Chino Valley, Arizona and I moved to Nashville to pursue my dream of music." She then continued to steal hearts as she shared a personal story about Carrie Underwood. "Carrie, you were my first concert ever. I actually brought my old journal, I wrote, and 'I went to a Carrie Underwood concert'. When we drove home, my mom said, 'See, that could be you up there', and it was that first moment in my life thinking, That might be me."
She even brought a tiny piece of confetti from that concert stuck to a notebook that had all the judges just listening to her. She then proceeded to sing her song as she said, "I would really love to sing an original for you guys. With a smile on their faces, the judges continued to listen as Ryn sang her original song 'Walk on Water' in her beautiful voice. As soon as she began singing, the room transformed. Gone was the bubbly excitement as she transformed into an artist completely immersed in her craft. The song was impeccable as she hit every note with sheer perfection, making every lyric land with conviction. Even Luke Bryan, one infamous for having a stoic face, was smiling throughout Ryn's performance.
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As Ryn finished performing, the judges were visibly impressed as they applauded and Bryan went on to give a very esoteric remark: "She has, like, the best whisper singing I've ever heard. It's like a projecting whisper." Bryan continued to compliment her as he said, "That was one of my favorites of the day." Ryn, beaming ear to ear, tried to contain her excitement as she said, "I won't get too excited." But Lionel Richie quickly stepped in with a reassurance: "I'm not trying to get you too excited, but you should be getting a little excited about it. Carrie might just send you off into the ozone."
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Underwood then offered her perspective, noting the risks that come with performing an original song. "It is a gamble when somebody walks in with their own song. I couldn't hear their voice because I'm paying attention to…" Bryan jumped in mid-sentence with cheeky honesty, "How bad the song is." Laughing, Underwood agreed and then went on to say, "But that wasn't the case here. I feel like it was a gamble that paid off." As the judges' turn came to vote, in a surprising twist, Richie asked Ryn to vote for herself. Without hesitation, Ryn said yes, followed by all the judges giving a yes, making way for Ryn to go to Hollywood.
