American Idol returned on Sunday (March 20) with the first of two back-to-back episodes, which will wrap up the final rounds of the Season 20 auditions. Hitting the famous Los Angeles Sunset Strip, Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie and Katy Perry set out to find the next big star.
And, they found a promising option in mother-to-be Haley Slaton.
Facing the judging table for her audition, the Iowa native, 23, revealed that she is five-and-a-half months pregnant. She then launched into a piano-accompanied version of “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus. While the song selection showcased her ability to sing with a country twang, it didn’t highlight her vocals enough to win over the judges. Perry challenged her to hit a higher note before the rest of the panel shared their thoughts.
“Luke, what do you think?” Perry asked, turning to country judge Luke Bryan afterward.
“It wasn’t a perfect audition,” Bryan said. “There were some amateur moments, but then there were some real moments. I wonder if you could begin to replicate those more. That’s the million-dollar question.”
Noting Slaton’s pregnancy, Richie added, “According to the last time I studied the anatomy, the baby is close to the lungs if I can remember. So holding a note may be quite difficult at certain times.”
After that, Perry requested that Slaton to sing another song. The hopeful offered a soul-stirring rendition of Adele’s “One and Only,” which put her through to Hollywood.
“We got you! We’re going to give you a chance,” Perry said before referencing the contestant’s baby on the way. “Haley, Haley! This is going to be a lot. Are you ready for it? It’s a lot. You’re going through a life change, and this could also be a life change. Give it that and more every single time.”
Even though Slaton has plenty going on with her impending baby, she made clear that she belongs on American Idol, telling viewers, “Being on the show pregnant is not going to be an obstacle for me. I grew up in church singing. So, I’ve been singing since I was three years old. This is something I’ve always wanted to do. I’m here with my mom, and she was a single mom of three. Being a full college student with us growing up and having a full-time job, she never gave up. She inspires me to be a good mother.”
“Just being a mom shouldn’t stop you from following your dreams,” she added. “I just really wanna do this for my son and give him a really good life, and I really want to show him to never stop chasing his dreams in the future.”
