Danielle Finn’s Soulful ‘Easy On Me’ Performance Had ‘American Idol’ Judges On Their Feet

Feb 24, 2023 by apost team

Season after season, “American Idol” gives viewers new delights and surprises, and the show’s Season 20 is not an exception, as singers from all over the country flocked to the auditions to showcase how they can be the next singing sensation.

“American Idol” was responsible for catapulting artists to greater heights. Take, for example, previous winners like Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Fantasia Barrino, Candice Glover, David Cook and Jordin Sparks, among many others, whose lives changed after winning the cutthroat singing competition. 

On “American Idol,” selected contestants who advanced on the Auditions round have to be filtered out on Hollywood Week, which was made even more difficult on the said season because of the genre and duets challenge.  

One of the contestants who blew away her fellow contestants and the judges alike was Danielle Finn. 

Finn, who was 17 years old at the time, was from sunny Los Angeles in California. During her auditions, she performed the song “Mirror” by Madison Ryann Ward. At first, the judges, Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan, were quite skeptical about the key she was singing – believing that she should take it a notch higher. 

When she sang it a key higher, Perry said that she was “deeply disturbed” because she didn’t know what she was singing. However, Finn blew them away when she sang the chorus part, prompting Perry to throw the papers off the table to give herself some space as she was then glued to her singing voice. 

“Keep me in your mirror, but don't take your eyes off the road. Holding on won't get us any nearer, 'cause we got a long way to go.” she belted before getting three “yeses” from the judge, earning her coveted golden ticket to Hollywood. 

If one would think that Finn’s audition piece was great, her performance of Adele’s Grammy-winning song “Easy On Me,” was perhaps one of the bests of the season!

Just the strength, confidence, and bravery for taking Adele’s vocally-demanding song are points already for Finn. 

According to STL Jewish Light, it was her grandfather, whom he dearly calls “Poppy,” that inspired her to audition. 

“My grandfather, we used to watch the show together all the time. It was like a really big spark in me that he always believed in me and loved my voice. Now, I’m here and he has Alzheimer’s and he really doesn’t know what exactly is going on,” she told the outlet. 

Finn didn’t take it easy as she went hard on her performance. She has taken the judge’s advice on the auditions round religiously, making her fellow contestants cheer as she belted effortlessly through the song. 

“Go easy on me, baby. I was still a child, didn't get the chance to feel the world around me. I had no time to choose, what I chose to do, so go easy on me,” Finn belted. 

The judges were clearly blown away by her performance, as the three gave Finn a standing ovation for her performance. 

In the uploaded clip of Finn’s performance on YouTube, everyone was thrilled and teary-eyed hearing her sing. 

“What a wonderful showcase of range, from her expertly controlled rolling highs to the surprising depths of her lowest notes!” someone commented. 

“Really touching performance. What a tough song to pull off and she did it,” another praised.

Finn emerged as the winner of the soul genre on Hollywood week, which guaranteed her a spot on the Showstopper Rounds. 

apost.com

Wasn’t Danielle Finn’s “Easy On Me” performance magnificent? What do you think of her inspiration to audition for “American Idol?" Do you think she deserved that standing ovation from the judges? Let us know, and pass this on to your family, friends, and other Adele fans!