Kyndal Inskeep delivered one of the most heartfelt moments of the night during the first-ever “Ohana Round” on American Idol Season 24.
The 29-year-old singer-songwriter from Fishers, Indiana, who now lives in Nashville, admitted she was “freaking out” ahead of her performance at Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa in Hawaii. Not only would she be singing in front of judges Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan, but also a room full of industry tastemakers, including Shirley Halperin, the co-editor-in-chief of Rolling Stone.
Despite the pressure, Inskeep chose to take a vulnerable approach, performing an original song titled “Woman of Me,” which she wrote as a tribute to her mother.
“I’m actually singing a song that I wrote. It’s called ‘Woman of Me.’ I wrote it for my mom. I can’t look at her too long or I will immediately cry. My mom is my favorite person in the whole entire world. She has been a backbone and just a rock in my life,” Inskeep shared ahead of her performance.
The emotional backstory behind the song runs deep. Inskeep revealed that while her mother has always been her biggest supporter, their relationship faced challenges when she was younger. Inskeep explained, “Growing up, we had a tendency to clash. I was a pretty rebellious kid [and] I started hanging around with the wrong people, dropped out of school, moved all the way to the other side of the country in LA. I needed to go and explore the world and learn and fall flat on my face and I’m sure that really broke her heart.”
Her mother, Staci, later reflected on that difficult chapter while speaking with Idol producers. “I think that sometimes before you can watch someone fly, you have to let them hit rock bottom. And it was the hardest thing that I’ve ever done. She was 18 years old and she needed to go. She needed to figure it out,” Staci shared.
Kyndal Inskeep then explained why she chose to pay tribute to her with this “Ohana Round” performance. “Having a mother that loved me enough to let me go, but be standing there with open arms when I ran back is a gratitude I can’t fully even express. And so I tried with this song and I really want to honor her with this. I really want her to understand just how special she is to me.”
That unconditional support ultimately inspired Inskeep to dedicate her “Ohana Round” American Idol performance to her.
With her parents, Staci and Brian, watching proudly from the audience, Inskeep stepped onto the stage and let both her songwriting and vocal abilities shine in front of the judges and industry experts.
Following her performance, Idol judges Lionel Richie and Carrie Underwood applauded her talents, authenticity and storytelling ability.
“Songwriting is incredible,” Richie gushed.
Underwood echoed the sentiment while encouraging Inskeep to keep leaning into her artistry.
“Oh, Kendall, I just want to hear more of your songs. You’re such a great storyteller and you have the voice to back it all up. So if this was a truly a moment meant for you right now,” Underwood added.
As the camera panned to the audience, Inskeep’s mother could be seen wiping away tears. “I’m so proud of her,” Staci said, overcome with emotion.
Inskeep later admitted she purposely avoided looking directly at her mom while performing, fearing she would become overwhelmed. “I knew I would cry, but she was right there on my heart and I just felt her and that was such a special moment. I wish I could do it again and again and again,” Inskeep added.
At the end of the show, 10 hopefuls were sent home and three Platinum Tickets were awarded. Platinum Tickets were also awarded to a lucky few, but for the first time in history, the Idol judges did not make the selections. Instead, the Ohana “family,” the industry tastemakers, and fellow Idol hopefuls decided who would receive the coveted honor.
Inskeep was one of the three singers awarded a Platinum Ticket, chosen by the panel of “industry tastemakers,” alongside Jordan McCullough and Brooks Rosser.
Now, over the next two weeks the Top 20 Idol hopefuls will perform for America’s votes at Disney’s Aulani Resort & Spa in Ko Olina, Hawaii, competing for a spot in the next round with guidance from superstar mentors Brad Paisley and KeKe Palmer.
Fans were first introduced to Inskeep during her memorable Idol audition, where she performed an original song titled “Praying of a Trying Daughter.” The singer previously competed on Season 17 of The Voice in 2019 and has continued to showcase her versatility throughout the competition, including a Hollywood Week performance of “Human” by The Killers.
Follow Kyndal Inskeep’s journey on American Idol Mondays at 8/7c on ABC, or stream the episode the next day on Hulu.
