Tabitha Blackwell with her daughter at the American Idol audition that aired Sunday on ABC-TV. (ABC/Christopher Willard Photos)
About 48 hours after her daughter, Alyssa Wray, stole the show on American Idol, her mother was still in shock.
“I just think she made quite an impression,” said Blackwell. “Not even just in the country, either. I found an article from Network Entertainment in Canada about her. Everybody just fell in love with her.”
Wray’s audition that aired Sunday tugged at a lot of heartstrings. She’s a 6-2 former high school basketball player from Perryville, a small town with less than 800 residents. She’s a freshman at Northern Kentucky University with a contagious personality and dynamite voice.
American Idol judges Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie, and Katy Perry were all on their feet before Wray finished singing “I Am Changing” by Jennifer Hudson from the movie “Dreamgirls.” They quickly gave her a Golden Ticket to the Hollywood Shows that will air March 21 and 22 on ABC-TV.
“I cry every time and I have probably watched it 100 times since Sunday night,” Blackwell said. “It was just amazing to see my baby on TV.”
The storyline gets better. Sunday was Blackwell’s birthday.
“I couldn’t imagine a better birthday present than her performance,” Blackwell said.
If that’s not enough, Wray had a severe case of tonsillitis leading up to her audition. She went to her regular doctor as well as a specialist seeking help for the sore throat that did get better by the audition date.
“But she couldn’t practice. She had changed her son and actually thought about doing one that would have been easier on her voice,” Blackwell said.
Her mother joked Wray was “born” for this and noted how the first season of American Idol was when Wray was a newborn.
“I have memories holding her as a newborn watching that first season (of American Idol). We have watched the show forever and now she’s on it,” Blackwell said.
Wray’s mom needed two days to start responding to all the calls and messages she had after her daughter’s performance, especially after getting just two hours of sleep Sunday night.
“I have always been proud of her and was ready for the world to see her,” Blackwell said. “Her friends all knew she had that potential. They knew she would do great.”
Blackwell was not on stage for the audition. She had to wait outside where she could “hear just a little bit” of what her daughter was doing to inspire a nation.
“It sounded great and I thought it was going great,” Blackwell said. “But I couldn’t hear much. Then they (show producers) let me in the door and I ran straight for my girl. I had never been so nervous waiting and could not imagine how she was feeling. The judges talked to me and I could not even talk. I was literally speechless.”
Others have not been in their praise for her daughter. Blackwell calls the support “amazing” and isn’t even sure how to adequately express her appreciation to everyone.
“Alyssa is really a pretty shy girl. She can perform like a pro but she’s shy. People don’t understand that and that just makes all this support even more special.”
