After making it by way of the ultimate auditions, Baylee — the son of Backstreet Boys singer, Brian Littrell — took the stage for Hollywood week on Monday’s episode, the place he carried out an authentic track in entrance of judges Carrie Underwood, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan.

And whereas Baylee’s mother and father had been within the viewers as he carried out the transferring melody, titled, “Hey Jesus,” there was one particular person the 22-year-old desperately needs may’ve seen him sing it.

Written throughout “a reasonably powerful time” in his life, Baylee mentioned the track was impressed by his grandmother, whom he referred to as his “greatest buddy.”

“My grandma was my greatest buddy. With my dad being away on tour, she would at all times step in. She understood me like not many individuals do,” he lamented, earlier than tearfully revealing that his grandmother died practically three years prior. “I assumed she was going to be round for moments like this. I by no means anticipated to lose her, so after I did, I questioned the whole lot and I pushed away religion … this track sort of helped me discover it.”

Strumming alongside on an acoustic guitar as he sang to his fellow Idol hopefuls, Baylee acquired the stamp of approval from extra than simply the judges. When the digicam panned over to his well-known father, the 50-year-old pop famous person was singing alongside.

“When your loved ones’s within the music enterprise, it opens lots of doorways,” Baylee mentioned in a confessional. “However it additionally creates lots of animosity, so my huge factor right here is I am right here to make this by myself and carve my path.”

And it seems to be like he is doing simply that, with Richie applauding the “nice lyrics” and Underwood telling Baylee that his “coronary heart” and “genuineness” actually got here by way of in the course of the efficiency.

“If my grandma noticed me, she’d most likely be actually proud,” Baylee mentioned. “I hope it is sufficient to get to the following spherical.”

After seeing all 144 finalists carry out, the judges deliberated over who to maintain and who to chop, with Baylee in the end surviving the elimination.

Baylee’s development onto the following spherical of the present’s twenty third season comes as one other singer with a well-known household acquired the boot, with Carnie Wilson’s daughter Lola Bonfiglio getting despatched residence after her efficiency of Billie Eilish’s “Birds of a Feather.”

“This has been such a roller-coaster,” the 19-year-old mentioned by way of tears. “And I like roller-coasters.”

Wilson was there to consolation her daughter after listening to the outcomes, embracing her with a giant hug.

“You took an opportunity and also you gave it your all,” Wilson mentioned. “Which means you are a winner.”

American Idol season 23 airs on ABC Sundays and Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET.