Source: Eric McCandless / Getty
When you grow up in a legendary singing family for the most part the pipes are in the DNA such as with the Winans family or the legendary Clark family. No matter the DNA the fruits of the tree typically want to sprout out on their own their own way and that scenario wasn’t any different for the late, great, Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklins granddaughter, 15 year old, Grace Franklin, who had traveled with her legendary grandmother however when she auditioned for a golden ticket on American Idol, her pipes nor her pedigree allowed her to get her ticket stamped by singer/song writer/musician Lionel Ritchie and that’s when the fight broke out.
Grace Franklin appeared to audition for American Idol performing Lauryn Hill’s version of “Killing Me Softly,” as well as her famous grandmother that she was close too, Aretha Franklin’s smash hit “Ain’t No Way.” When ‘Idol’ judge Katy Perry gave Grace Franklin her vote to move on to the next level however it was Luke Bryan and shockingly Lionel Ritchie that did a remix to the Aretha Franklin song and told Grace Franklin ‘Ain’t No Way’ she needs to go back to the drawing board then maybe try it again.
According to Lionel Ritchie:
“Grace Franklin, I love you and I think the best thing for you in life is to take a shot at going backwards,” …”Go back and get a running start and come at this again.”
Katy Perry said that Grace Franklin had ‘star dust’ and deserved a shot.
“Listen she’s got stardust, give her a shot, give her a chance,” “I’m sure Aretha wasn’t Aretha when she walked into the room, but somebody said, ‘Yes, I want to work with you, I want to develop you, you’ve got something.’ She’s got stardust on her.”
Lionel Ritchie wasn’t budging from his no, Katty Perry then said “Something wrong with your ears. Y’all are insane!”, “I will lay down on the ground. I quit this show. I’m going to the bar,”…you get the point of what happened next.
Lionel Ritchie then addressed Grace Franklin again:
“Grace, you know how I feel about your family and you, but I don’t want this to be a crash and burn,” … “It’s gonna be a ‘no’ from me this time, but an optimistic, ‘Come back and see us,’ OK? Make that work, OK?”
Take a look at the video below, then let us know do you agree with Lionel Ritchie putting the final nail in the American Idol competition for Grace Franklin coffin or nah?
Source: Radio One Digital
