Who is Lily Meola? AGT contestant performed a duet alongside country music legend Willie Nelson at the age of 20

Singer-songwriter Lily Meola's audition for America's Got Talent (AGT) aired on this week's episode of the show. On Tuesday, June 28, 2022, the California-based touring musician enthralled the judges and the live audience with her incredible performance and stage presence. The artist was among the numerous contestants who showcased their skills in the episode to potentially move forward in the competition.

The AGT contestant gained significant recognition after country music legend Willie Nelson acknowledged the brilliance of her music and gave her a chance to sing a duet with him for his album To All The Girls when Lily was just 20 years of age.

Although country music and Americana are two of her major musical styles, her favorite genre lies at the intersection of dreampop and folk. It was with this soulful presence that she impressed judges Simon Cowell, Sofia Vergara, Howie Mandel and Heidi Klum.

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AGT contestant Lily Meola lost her mother to cancer and immersed herself in music to cope

Lily Meola was raised in Maui, Hawaii, and she now lives in California. Her mother, Nancy Meola, was a respected public figure in the music world as the assistant to the talent manager Shep Gordon. Lily was distraught upon learning of her mother's cancer diagnosis and became one of her primary caregivers. Unfortunately, her mother died in June 2020.

Following her mother's death, the AGT contestant struggled with the grieving process and battled depression. In an interview with Rolling Stone, she confessed to still dealing with bits and parts of it. The singer said:

"I still have bad days, but I'm working through it. Now I'm moving into this next segment of my life where I'm trying to preserve and finish what I started and make my mom proud, from wherever it is she might be."

To cope with the biggest loss of her life, she involved herself in self-care activities like baking, going to the beach and visiting one of her closest friends, Lukas Nelson, son of Willie Nelson. She immersed herself in songwriting and singing, which helped steer her towards better days.

The AGT contestant fell in love with music at a very young age when her mother would make her listen to old classical and jazz music. Ella Fitzgerald, Joni Mitchell, Nina Simone, Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, Cat Stevens, and James Taylor were her idols. She soon hit the stage after landing a weekly show at Café des Amis in Paia, Hawaii, where she performed covers of her favorite artists.

Apart from singing a duet with Willie Nelson, the singer has also performed with him at his annual Farm Aid concert every year since 2013. She has also toured with Willie and his musician sons, Lukas and Micah.

Lily spent considerable time in the studio with producer Bob Rock and practically grew up with his daughters. The Canadian record producer also helped her land a development deal with Verve Records, impressing David Foster who was the label head at the time. However, the deal didn't come to fruition as she wasn't ready.

The AGT contestant is an accomplished songwriter now and has spent time in the studio with several co-writers creating music. Some of her notable singles include Don't Stop (2020), Daydream (2021), and Sunshine (2022) among others.

Lily has over 21K followers on Instagram where she regularly provides updates about her songs, gigs and day-to-day activities.

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America's Got Talent (AGT) has witnessed exceptional talent in the past 17 years, with some of the performers even going on to become household names and attain worldwide acclaim. This season has already seen golden buzzer winners like Avery Dixon, Madison Baez, Sara James, and Mayyas.

Keep watching America's Got Talent on NBC.