‘American Idol’ Season 23 Hopeful Set Up To Fail

American Idol is never shy about bringing on a celebrity’s offspring to help muster up discussion. Having previously watched Baylee Littrell, son of Brian Littrell of the Backstreet Boys, audition and earn a Golden Ticket, another young singer with a musical family arrived. Lola arrived with her dad, accompanying her on guitar, but wait, there’s more. Lola then brings out her mom, Carnie, and aunt, Wendy. They just happen to have the name Wilson. Thus, it’s two-thirds of Wilson Phillips. Oh, and just as a reminder, that means that her grandfather is Brian Wilson, the musical genius behind the Beach Boys.

When it comes to aspiring singers who have famous relatives, American Idol has been a showcase for many. Not all have found instant success on the show, but some have gone on to wild success. There is a difference between, say, Jordin Sparks, who’s the daughter of a famous football player, and Emmy Russell, who’s the granddaughter of the late Loretta Lynn. One forged a different path than her father. The other drove directly down the path her grandmother paved. Based on Lola’s audition on American Idol, it seems she’s following the latter’s journey, which had a few hiccups along the way.

Lola Couldn’t “Hold On” To Her ‘American Idol’ Audition

Let’s discuss Lola’s audition. Typically, when an American Idol hopeful comes into the room to audition, they do their song, receive feedback, and then, should it be positive, the family is invited in to celebrate as the cameras capture the swell of emotion. For Lola, it was the other way around. A complete setup for failure. Not even as a supplementary audition, Lola sang harmonies on “Hold On,” taking Chynna Phillips‘ part. It’s a beautiful performance, but it’s a gimmick and a massive disservice. Let’s be honest with ourselves: if there is an opportunity to have a Bridesmaids moment and have most of Wilson Phillips sing their iconic song, you take advantage of it. But after the actual audition.

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Following the 90s fan girl moment, the judges asked Lola to sing solo. The actual reason why she’s present. Give her credit, her song selection is exceptional. It’s a soft and sweet, lyrically pretty song that should allow Lola’s instrument to be highlighted. But her rendition of “Rainbow” by Kacey Musgraves proved that she’s not vocally strong on her own. In fact, she’s a bit weak. For those familiar with the original track, Kacey Musgraves is quite straight, not adding much color to it. But that’s her as an artist. An aspiring American Idol winner should be able to take this song and have a moment. Lola did not. And it’s because of what we witnessed first. Singing with her mom and aunt hid her instrument that, when she was on her own, exposed that she was not ready for prime time. And yet, even with some doubts and hesitations, the judges put her through to Hollywood. It’s a massive disservice to the young artist who is already being dragged as a “nepo baby.”

‘American Idol’ Fans Have Strong Opinions

Unlike Baylee Littrell, Lola relied on her famous family for support in the audition. Were the judges really going to deny Lola a spot with her family standing right there? It’s unfair to her to have been put into a position like this. As her audition clip continues to rack up the views, so do the hateful comments from fans. One comment read, “I have nothing against that sweet young woman, but there is no way she would have made it through without her famous Mom in tow.” Another said, “She’s one of a line of amazing singers. However, this is the perfect example of someone who is an average singer using their connection to help them. Maybe she has more to offer, but I wasn’t as wowed as I have been with other singers.” And then there is this: “How is this a fair audition? No one has others singing with them.” The odds are already stacked up against her. Not just in the competition, but how she’s viewed by the public. It’s sad to think that Lola is not long for the competition, but it’s hard to champion her with this roll out.

The reality of this moment is we are discussing the Wilson Phillips moment and not Lola, the young singer auditioning for American Idol. Was there a fear that Lola’s voice was too weak to get approved to even invite the famous family into the room? Is that why her audition was set up backwards? Whether asked to perform “Hold On” by production or simply the Wilson family’s idea, future hopefuls with famous families should avoid doing this ever again. It’s not helping their cause of being a solo entity. American Idol airs Sundays at 8:00pm on ABC. All episodes are available to stream on ABC.