Who is Reette Thorns? American Idol season 21 contestant makes judge Lionel Richie emotional

American Idol season 21 is preparing to make way for new talents to get more spotlight and recognition, who are ready to appear on the show and sing their hearts out. One of the contestants set to compete in the singing show is Reette Thorns, whose season 21 audition left Lionel Richie emotional.

Reette Thorn’s preferred pronouns are she/they, and they are one of the contestants whose audition clip will be shown in Sunday’s episode. The 21-year-old singer is a college student who says that they have watched the singing competition since they were a child.

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American Idol season 21 contestant Reette Thorns recalled how Lionel Richie hugged them after their performance at the audition

21-year-old Reette Thorns is one of the contestants set to appear in the upcoming episode of American Idol season 21. The upcoming show's contestant is a graduate of Vel Phillips Memorial High School who used to play basketball while in school. Moreover, Thorns says that she has watched the singing competition show since she was only six years old.

Thorns is currently a student at Grant Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan, where she studies theater and is a part of the Track and Field team.

Whether or not she makes it to the next round, the athlete and singer will always remember their American Idol season 21 audition. The particular segment was filmed in September in Las Vegas. Later, in a conversation with Wisconsin State Journal, she opened up about the audition and said that it went well. Thorns also added that she felt that their singing could have been better.

Talking about their interaction with singer and American Idol judge Lionel Richie, she said:

"My interaction with Lionel was very, very heartwarming, which I think a lot of my friends and family expected just from watching him throughout previous seasons."

Thorns further opened up about their childhood and said that since their mother struggled with addiction, she grew up in the foster care system. During their audition, she sang I Believe by former winner Fantasia Barrino in front of the judges.

The contestant said that she chose the song because it’s important that she believes in herself and Veronica Alfred, who still struggles with addiction and substance abuse. The upcoming American Idol contestant explained that watching Barrino win the show helped them and their mother bond and that it has since then become an inspiration for both of them.

Thorns also got a pep talk ahead of their performance from judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan. Moreover, she added that she started crying before and after their performance:

"I didn’t take a beat before I started to sing. So, I had been crying before and after I was singing. I was pretty much shaking and nervous the whole time."

The American Idol season 21 singer stated that after their performance, Lionel Richie gave them a hug. Thorns also said how Richie told them that their performance was touching and asked them to remember the moment forever.

She continued:

"He could feel and know my story through my singing."

Before their audition began, Reette Thorns recalled how she felt calm and composed and was in the middle of doing a homework assignment while watching Gilmore Girls. She even said how managed to nap ahead of their performance. However, seeing the judges made them nervous, which soon dissipated as they gave them positive feedbacks.

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Tune in on Sunday, March 12, at 10.30 pm ET to watch the latest American Idol episode right after the 95th Academy Awards on ABC.