Aspiring pop singer Kaya Stewart got a musical assist from her famous father during her recent audition for “American Idol.”
On Sunday night’s episode of the singing competition series, Stewart left judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie stunned when her dad, Dave Stewart, appeared beside her. During the 1980s, the elder Stewart was one half of the era-defining British pop duo the Eurythmics. Together with Annie Lennox, he’s responsible for “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” and “Here Comes the Rain Again,” among other classic songs.
In a pretaped interview, Stewart seemed unfazed by her father’s artistic legacy, even as she cited his influence on her own fledging music career.
“Music has been a part of my life since before I was even born,” the 23-year-old said. “My dad was in a group called the Eurythmics. When I was born, my dad was on tour, and I was going to shows when I was still in my mom’s tummy.”
Watch Kaya Stewart’s “American Idol” audition below.
She went on to note: “The musician’s lifestyle has been something that’s just been a part of my life. There was never a question of what I wanted to do with my life. That was always going to be what I was going to do.”
Dave Stewart’s appearance prompted Richie to recall a shared memory of being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame together last year.
Perhaps anticipating the “nepotism baby” discourse that might arise, Perry asked why Kaya would pursue “American Idol” given all of the “different opportunities and connections” she could access as the child of a Grammy winner.
The show, Kaya said, gives her a chance to “sing my own music,” thus opening “a whole new world for me.” She went on to perform “This Tattoo,” a melancholy ballad co-written with her father.
The verdict from Bryan, Perry and Richie was unanimously positive, and Stewart will proceed to the next round. Still, Perry warned her that the judges were likely to “be a little bit more nitpicky with you” given her family background.
“You know the business,” she said, “and the business is real.”
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