American Idol isn’t back for its 22nd season until Sunday, February 18, but an emotional sneak peek warns fans to have their tissues at the ready.
The clip, shared by Parade, sees McKenna Breinholt auditioning in front of judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan. Before she performs, the judges ask Beinholt about her background and whether or not she comes from a family of singers.
Breinholt explains that she’s adopted, telling the judges, “I found out I was adopted as early as I could understand it. My mom struggled for several years trying to get pregnant, and eventually, they decided to go through the adoption process.”
She goes on to say, “I have the best family in the world. They’ve always supported me. When I was 21, I sat my parents down and told them to tell me any information they had on my birth mom. They told me her name was Amy Ross Lopez. She was a musician, and she had passed away. I just wanted to know where I came from.”
The Idol hopeful says she did a search for her birth family, and this last summer, she made contact with them for the first time over FaceTime. They’re scheduled to meet in person for the first time in three weeks.
“Are you nervous?” Perry asks.
“No,” Breinholt replies. “I feel like I’ve known them my whole life.”
With that, Breinholt takes to the piano and performs a gorgeous rendition of Zach Williams’ and Dolly Parton‘s “There Was Jesus,” which receives high compliments from the judges.
“You’ve got a great voice, really signature and raspy and interesting,” Perry comments, while Richie adds, “I love exactly what you did. I love the sound of your voice, and I’m just anxious to see what you’re going to do with this.”
While all this is happening, host Ryan Seacrest is outside the door with members of Breinholt’s adoptive family and her birth family, who have come to surprise her.
When Perry asks Breinholt if she wants to invite her family into the room to hear their verdict as to whether she’s moving on to Hollywood or not, the contestant heads over to the door to let them in. She then bursts into tears when she realizes her birth family is waiting to see her.
“What’s happening?” Perry asks.
“They’re here! My birth family is here!” Breinholt explains as the “Firework” singer struggles to hold back tears.
“Is she crying?” Breinholt asks.
“No,” Perry says before confessing, “Yes.”
The clip ends before we find out whether or not Breinholt is moving on in the competition. But one has to think it would be pretty cruel if she was given a ‘no’ after all that.
American Idol, Season 22, Premiere, Sunday, February 18, 8 p.m. et, ABC
This story originally appeared on TV Insider
