Baylee Littrell, 22-year-old son of Backstreet Boys member Brian Littrell, is carving his own path on American Idol, and during Hollywood week, he delivered an emotional original song titled “Hey Jesus” in honor of his late grandmother, and advanced to the next round: the “Showstoppers” round.
Carving His Own Path In Music
The Atlanta, Georgia native impressed American Idol judges Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood, and Luke Bryan during his audition, where he delivered an emotional original song titled “Waiting On Myself To Die.” At the time, Underwood praised his vocal abilities, while Bryan commended Baylee for carving out his own path, dedicating himself to his craft, and putting in the hard work.
Ahead of taking the “Idol Arena” stage during Hollywood week, Baylee Littrell revealed advice that his famous father offered him, “he said, ‘just be you.’” He then explained, “When your family’s in the music business, it opens a lot of doors, but it also creates a lot of animosity. So my big thing here is I’m here to make this on my own and carve my path.”
Performed Emotional Original, Titled “Hey Jesus,” In Honor Of His Late Grandmother
Wearing a black Henley and green pants, Baylee Littrell entered the stage at Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles with his acoustic Gibson guitar in hand. He performed an emotional original song titled “Hey Jesus,” which he wrote several years ago following the loss of his grandmother.
“This is called ‘Hey Jesus.’ This is an original. I wrote this song when I was going through a pretty tough time in my life. I lost somebody I loved… My grandma was my best friend. With my dad being away on tour, she would always step in. She understood me like not many people do. My grandma passed away three years ago, almost,” Baylee said, detailing how the song came to be. “I thought she was going to be around for moments like this. I never expected to lose her. So when I did, I questioned everything and I had pushed away Faith. I thought I would not find it again. This song kind of helped me find it.”
Strumming his acoustic guitar, Baylee Littrell delivered a heartfelt performance of the unreleased original song, letting his songwriting and vocal talents take center stage.
“Hey Jesus/ I broke my wings again/ could you help me up one last time old friend/ oh cause I surrender everything to you/ Oh, I’ve tried to fight all my battles without you by my side/ in the dark depths of the night/ it’s where I’ve been without your beautiful light/ oh you gave me wings to fly/ Hey Jesus,” the contestant sang as his parents, Brian Littrell and Leighanne Littrell, were shown tearfully singing along in the audience.
Ovation And Praise From Idol Judges
His performance earned a standing ovation from his fellow Idol hopefuls, who watched and cheered from their seats in the theater. Carrie Underwood and Lionel Richie then complimented his authenticity and his talents as a singer/songwriter.
“Baylee, you’re so good. Your heart and genuineness just coming through. You’re so good,” Underwood said, praising his humble and authentic nature.
“Boy, that’s great lyrics,” Richie exclaimed, to which Underwood added, “a conversation with God.”
Fate Revealed: Advances To Next Round
Baylee Littrell was among the 62 Idol hopefuls who advanced after what the show described as “the biggest cut in Idol history.”
American Idol returns on Sunday, April 6 for the “Showstoppers” round, where Jelly Roll will make his highly-anticipated debut as the first-ever artist in residence to offer guidance to the contestants. During the “Showstoppers” round, the remaining Idol hopefuls will face a career-defining challenge, where they’ll have the chance to prove that they have what it takes to captivate an audience with performances that could “make or break their journey to fame” and their shot at becoming the next American Idol.
American Idol airs every Sunday and Monday at 8/7c on ABC.
