Nina Daig, a Beaverdam, Virginia native, paid tribute to her brother Joey with an emotional performance of an original song, titled “Average Joe,” on American Idol.

Idol Audition Marked Daig’s First Time Ever Performing In Front Of Anyone

“There’s like three churches and a gas station and y’all are going to be the first people that I’m singing in front of,” Daig told the Idol judges, comprised of Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan, who asked if she ever performs live. “No, I just write songs. It’s just what I do, and they’re secret and then all this happened,” the contestant replied.

Nina Daig then detailed why she dedicated her Idol audition to her brother Joey. “My brother, Joey, is three and a half years older than me. Growing up, people would ask if we were twins because we both just had the same level of chaos going on,” she explained. “Mentally, he’s about three or four. He was born not breathing and there’s lack of oxygen, and it caused brain damage. He’s really taught me, more than any other experience in my life, to trust in myself. Since I was little. I was love singing, standing on the bed with the CD player, going, I just have a lot of insecurities and started telling myself that it’s not good enough and no one wants to hear it. So it’s not that I didn’t want to be a musician, but it’s just never something I thought possible. But growing up, I watched Joey his whole life. He doesn’t care what people think. He’s just happy that he’s him, and he accepts himself fully. I think I’m still learning from him in a lot of ways. I mean, he’s the reason I’m here.”

Paid Tribute To Brother Joey With “Average Joe”

Daig poured her heart into an emotional performance of her original song, “Average Joe,” which she wrote as a tribute to her brother Joey.

“And it didn’t make no difference/ the laughs or the cries or the tears from my eyes/ I’m done asking why because I’ve seen the light/ God made me for you/ to help you get through/ and you for me to set my heart free/ sometimes we get looks/ but if you taught me one thing, they’re just learning how to love,” Daig sang.

Idol Judges Praise Songwriting Abilities And Raw Emotion In Her Song

Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan were impressed by Nina Daig’s songwriting abilities and raw emotions, but thought her voice need a little bit of work.

Carrie Underwood was nearly brought to tears by Daig’s Idol audition. “I think it’s very brave of you to come and share not only your voice with us, but your song. Especially if you’re not really used to doing that,” Underwood stated. “Was every note perfect? No, but we felt your heart. I feel like you’re going to have to work on that confidence a lot. You’ve got to quiet all the voices in your head saying that you can’t and be like, I know better, and I can, and I’m going to and lay it all out there every single time and I believe you can. So I’m going to say yes.”

Luke Bryan said, “To write from that place, it’s how you formulate the beginnings of being a crazy good songwriter, and you’ve got the voice, and you’ve got the tone that’s just yet really put all the puzzle pieces together yet in my opinion. I mean, I think singing is the right thing for you to be doing. I mean, there were a couple of missed notes, but I’m going to roll the dice on you. It’s a yes for me.”

Richie added, “As Carrie said, confidence behind that sound will be amazing. It’s a yes for me.

Ultimately, Nina Daig earned three ‘yes’ votes and a golden ticket to Hollywood.