Just four years old when her father became ‘The Bachelor,’ Camila Galavis is chasing her own reality television dreams on ‘American Idol’ a decade later — but can the 14-year-old overcome her youth to impress the judges?
Juan Pablo Galavis melted hearts as a single dad and the first Latino lead for The Bachelor franchise back in 2014. Ten years later, his daughter is chasing her own dreams with an audition for American Idol on the same network.
The judges didn’t pick up on the connection right away when 14-year-old Camila Galavis was introducing herself. They were marveling more at the fact that she was the season’s youngest contestant. Finally, she revealed that her dad was on The Bachelor.
ABC/TikTok
American Idol Fans Skeptical After Alyssa Raghu Blames Edit for Audition ‘Hijack,’ Offers Her Side of Story
View Story
When they brought him in to chat, Katy Perry chastised him, “You know what it’s like to be on television; you’re trying to throw her in this lion’s den?”
Juan Pablo laughed that this wasn’t his idea, but she wasn’t to be deterred. “She’s been singing since she’s little, you know, and the opportunity came, she wanted to do it,” he said. “I say, ‘I don’t know if you’re old enough. That was last year. They say, ‘Well, maybe next year.’ And then, here she is, so we’ll see how it goes.”
The proud papa was invited to stay in the room for the audition, which Camila said would help her nerves. He could be seen throughout both beaming at his daughter, and looking nervously to see how the judges were receiving her.
All the American Idol Judges Who Have Left The Show
View Story
They weren’t giving much away, either, as Camila performed the Spanish-language “Rabia” by Joaquina. Her voice was respectable, but didn’t have a unique sound to it, nor did she do anything particularly dynamic or memorable with the song.
The judges had similar feelings about the audition, telling her that she sounded young and definitely needed a little more seasoning. “I think you’re biggest hurdle is the big high notes are still giving you a little bit of trouble,” Luke Bryan told her. “I mean, you’re so young, I just don’t know if it’s ready yet.”
Lionel Richie agreed, while Katy said that she has personality, but isn’t sure she’s ready to compete at the level of competition on this show. Nevertheless, after Lionel voted “no” and encouraged her to keep at it, Katy backed down a bit.
“I think you have a very accessible voice, it needs a little bit of stretching,” she told the high school freshman. “You’ve got a pop voice. I mean, the biggest growing genre in music is Spanish music. You are authentically that, so it’s a yes from me.”
ABC
American Idol Contestant Sings ‘I Kissed A Girl’ and Katy Perry Didn’t Necessarily Like It
View Story
With her fate in Luke’s hands, he turned back to an earlier comment he’d made that with the right producer, he actually believed that she could “cut a hit album” right now. He also said he thought she’d “get swallowed up a little bit” on the show, but he ignored that part and said, “Yes.”
He then told her, “You barely made it in,” as the judges hugged her. Katy echoed the sentiment, telling the teen, “You’ve got a lot of work cut out for you.”
In backstage interviews, Camila proved she had a pretty solid head on her shoulders about the whole thing, saying she was going to be fine if the answer as no because she was so young and knew she had many more years ahead of her.
But, she didn’t have to do that at all. In their final moments, Camila embraced her dad and told him, “Thank you for putting up with me. You’re my best friend.”
Camila’s American Idol journey will continue as the show heads into Hollywood Week and expands to two nights starting next week, Sundays and Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
