Did Loretta Lynn’s Granddaughter Survive Biggest Cut in American Idol History?

Things can get pretty hectic in Hollywood, though, so it’s easy to lose track of some early favorites. And some of those favorites flame out pretty quickly, leaving us only with the memory of their first audition that connected.

One of those early-season favorites this year is Emmy Russell, the granddaughter of country music legend Loretta Lynn. Emmy practically grew up around music, even getting to perform with her grandmother on stage at just 11 years old.

After feeling the pressure for many years, including enduring an eating disorder as a teenager, the 24-year-old began to find her own voice and identity. She first wowed the judges (and America) with an original song during her audition, “Skinny.” She went original again in the “Idol Arena.”

This time, her song was another deeply person confession called “Like That.” She said that she writes songs she’s afraid to sing, but she powered through this one and delivered another powerful moment on the show.

The new round sees the contestants having to perform one by one in front of the judges on what looks like a variation on the Idol live shows stage, with their competition circled just about all around them. With all those competitors so close, and the cut so large, you want to talk about pressure?

In the end, it was good news for Emmy, who advanced to the next round. Will she grace us with more vulnerability and another tearjerker original going forward?

Kaibrienne “KB” Richins” touched hearts, too, with her brutally raw take on Jessie Murph’s “How Could You,” revealing that she’d gone through things as a child that “I don’t think a little girl should have to go through.”

She said she’s still not dealt with those, so was hoping with this performance she could prove that she can, perhaps even to herself.

Conversely, it wasn’t great news for Madaí Chakell, who gained attention early on in her audition when she sang Katy Perry’s “I Kissed  A Girl” — and Katy didn’t really like it.

Well, she went diva in the “Arena,” blasting her pianist, singing a cappella and trashing Luke Bryan in a confessional.

She put a weird Southern twang on one lyric before putting on a fake British accent when asked about it, said she did it to prove she could be “everyone and everything.”

Luke’s response to all of the nonsense was, “Maybe we’ll do American Humble at some point. Probably not winning audiences with that one.”

Madaí was among those who fell short, with USA Today picking out a few other notable names like Noah Peters, Kyra Waits, Kimi, Abby Blake, Conall Gorman, Bethany Teague, Meggie Iyer, Jacie Mattehws, Amaria Scott Keys, Athena Jett, and CJ Rislove who didn’t make the cut.

Among those joining Emmy in the next round, per the outlet, were Triston, Will Moseley, Quintavious Johnson, Sam “Kayko” Kelly-Cohen, Mia Matthews, Jennifer Jeffries, KB, Nya, Kennedy Reid, Scarlett Lee, Anna Grace Hunt, Elleigh Marie Francom, Ajii Hafeez, Ziggy, McKenna Breinholt, Blake Proehl, Roman Collins, Abi Carter, Julia Gagnon and Odell Bunton Jr.

Also advancing to the next round was Alyssa Raghu, the former contestant who controversially returned to the competition and then blasted the show’s producers and editors for how her impromptu audition was framed, making it look as if she stole her friend’s opportunity.

American Idol cuts more than half the singers again, revealing its Top 24 tonight as the competition continues on Sundays and Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.