‘American Idol’ Judges React to Hannah Harper’s Win & Share Advice for Her Career
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What To Know
- Hannah Harper won Season 24 of American Idol on May 11.
- Judges Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie shared their reactions to her win in an interview with TV Insider and a small group of other media outlets.
- The trio also shared their advice for Hannah as she moves forward with a career in the music industry.
From the moment Hannah Harper auditioned for American Idol with an original song about motherhood, she resonated with judges Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, and Lionel Richie, as well as viewers across the country, because of her voice, vulnerability, songwriting, and artistic ability. That ended up taking her all the way through the competition until she was named the winner during the May 11 finale.
“I’ve been a fan. I’ve been a stan for Hannah since the beginning,” Underwood told TV Insider and a small group of media outlets after the show. “There’s just something about her that’s so relatable, obviously, and I feel like, in the end, that’s why people voted for her. They’re just like, ‘I see a bit of myself in her,’ and you just want to root for her.”
Bryan noted that seeing so many people relate to Hannah is “what creating music is all about,” adding, “She did that day one and she never fumbled. She never stuttered, stumbled, once. She never faltered. She was just solid day in and day out.” He also gushed that Hannah is “certainly worthy” of being the winner and urged her to “love every step of the way” moving forward.
Disney/Eric McCandless
When it comes to advice for Hannah as she continues her career, Underwood said, “I feel like my main advice to her will be about being a mother in the business. I’ve done things well. I’ve done things terribly. And if I can impart some wisdom there … because she’s a really great songwriter and she’s proven that time and time again, so it’s like she’s already got the material, which is half the battle. I’m excited to see what she does and where she goes.”
Bryan added that Hannah should “take this momentum” and start writing music with a “core crew” of people. “Get some material out there and go,” he advised. “Chase your dreams and really enjoy your love of music. It’s hard work. It’s hard work now for me [still].” However, he promised that it’s “so fulfilling and fun” in the end.
Meanwhile, Richie’s most important piece of advice to “take a deep breath [and] be present.” He also agreed with Bryan that the “real hard work” is yet to come. “We’re going to throw you into the vat of real artists and the competition now becomes if you can hold the American public and the world. Can you hold their attention? Can the world fall in love with you?”
He continued, “You have to build it now. You walk out of your house and go, ‘I got a hit record.’ Good. What’s your next one? Right now, I told her, ‘Get some sleep.’ She’s going to be tired. And 200 years from now, when you’re like me, they keep asking me, ‘What are you going to do next?’ And you’ll feel good about it.”
—Reporting by Michael Maloney
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R
It was very clear from the pre-auditions, which all contestants must go through, that Hannah Harper would ultimately be designated as the winner. At her televised audition there was already video of her producer created back story, minus the fact that she'd been a touring musician since childhood. While she had three children, her husband was the stay-at-home parent, not Hannah. In the prior year, the winner was an African American male gospel singer. There was no way the producers would allow that to occur two years in a row. They certainly tasked themselves with finding a pretty white woman from Missouri with some talent and significant performing experience. It was interesting to see how the producers reacted when voting results must have been very close as the series ended. In past years, the final performance of each contestant was a new original song they'd written or was written for them. This year, the finalists repeated their televised audition song. Hannah Harper's audition song, String Cheese, had thousands of downloads and significant comment via social media, and, obviously, garnered Harper many votes, during the season, as a result of that song. There was no better way for the show's producers to insure that Harper captured a huge final vote than to have her repeat that song. There's absolutely no way Ritchie, Underwood, and Bryan could not see that Harper had been selected to be the winner. I do expect Underwood and Ritchie to be "retiring" from American Idol.
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C
Absolutely ridiculous result!
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R
The result was not surprising. After Harper's audition, the betting odds were 85% in favor of her ultimately being the winner. Seriously, who goes on national TV to talk about their post partum depression during a talent interview, unless there's a juicy carrot dangling?
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L
She did because when asked what her song, String Cheese, was about she told them. But you don't have a clue because you will never know what it's like to be carrying another life for nine months, then having to deliver it. If men were the ones to have to do that, there would be millions fewer babies being born. You do not have the strength nor the will to do so. There was a juicy carrot for all the contestants. She got the most votes because she was the best. So, go back to mama and cry!
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