Mom-of-one survived abuse and reached ‘American Idol’ finale — but refused to let trauma define her
As contestants from varied backgrounds make their way to the ‘American Idol’ stage, their back stories often leave the audience and judges in tears; however, one contestant's past was particularly harrowing. La'Porsha Renae, who we all know as ASE today, didn't want her fans to sob over her past and simply wished for them to love her for her talents. The contestant competed in Season 15 of the reality singing competition back in 2016 and finished as a runner-up.
In an interview with Business Insider back in 2022, she shared what went on behind the camera and how difficult it was to manage her personal life with the competition. During the Fox-ABC show's 20th anniversary, Renae stressed that she simply "didn't want a sob story.” "I didn't want America to love me for my story," the singer stated. The outlet also reported that before she auditioned for ‘American Idol', ASE was in the process of pressing charges against her ex-husband, who nearly killed her once. The production crew of the reality show created a supportive environment on set, making her feel 'comfortable' as he told the world her story during the audition. ASE impressed judges Harry Connick Jr., Jennifer Lopez, and Keith Urban with each round, after nailing her audition number of Radiohead's ‘Creep.’
As she moved to Hollywood, she was able to bring her then-infant daughter and her mother along. They shared a place together during the show's run. ASE was also given extra privacy as she dealt with her legal battles. "I think it would have probably been traumatic for me at that time if we did have to shoot B-roll in the apartment and my daughter had to be all on screen all the time because, all during the show, I was actually still simultaneously fighting my ex-husband in court for me and my daughter's freedom," she expressed to Business Insider at the time.
The abuse was very tough for ASE to get away from. According to Entertainment Now, she and her daughter had moved to a shelter in McComb to escape the domestic violence. “All I can do is look at my daughter and say, ‘Wow! You almost lost me and were left with this monster.’ I thought I was having strength by staying when in reality it took me strength to leave,” the American Idol alum expressed. This was, however, not the first time Renae had auditioned for the reality singing show. She had auditioned for season 10 of ‘American Idol.’ However, when she heard that Season 15 of Fox's ‘American Idol’ would be the last season, she pushed herself for another chance. The show was later picked up by ABC.