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Baylee Littrell’s April 20 performance of his father Brian Littrell’s song Gone Without Goodbye on American Idol resonated deeply with the young artist, as he revealed that singing the emotional track was “a bittersweet moment.”
Reflecting on his experience, Baylee admitted to an interview with UsWeekly on April 27, 2025, saying,
“I’ve never probably been that nervous to sing one of my dad’s songs ever, so it was a bittersweet moment.”
He said that the performance was not only linked to individual family experiences but also held great emotional value because the background of the song is related to the aftermath of the September 11 attacks
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Baylee Littrell reflects on his emotional performance of his father’s song on American Idol
A deeply personal performance
Baylee's decision to sing his father's song Gone Without Goodbye on American Idol held deep personal significance. The song, which is on Brian Littrell's 2006 Welcome Home album, was written about the September 11, 2001, attacks. Baylee admitted that the song meant a lot to him because it was especially personal to his family's background.
His mother, Leighanne Wallace, had been initially booked to take the second flight that crashed into the World Trade Center on 9/11. Baylee highlighted their good fortune that she was not on the flight.
His father, however, lost one of his crew members on the same flight, which lent additional significance to the meaning of the song. Baylee explained that performing such a personal song was unlike any other experience.
“Singing ‘I Want It That Way’ or something is obviously super personal too, but when you’re singing your dad’s Christian music, it’s really emotional,” he noted.
Support from family and friends
Throughout his American Idol journey, Baylee received support from both his immediate family and the Backstreet Boys. He described how seeing his parents in the audience added warmth to his performance, although it was also a source of nervousness.
“I would see them in the crowd and I couldn’t look at ’em for too long, otherwise I was going to forget the words to a song. … It was just such a heartwarming feeling for them to be there,” Baylee reflected.
The support extended beyond his parents, with Baylee’s father’s bandmates offering encouragement. Baylee mentioned AJ McLean, who was consistently supportive throughout the process.
“AJ, he’s always there. He’s always the one that’s supportive and he’s like, ‘This is only the beginning. This is just the start,’” Baylee said.
Looking ahead to the future
Although Baylee's stint on American Idol was cut short before he made the top 14, he is not giving up on his musical career. Having already written a set of new songs, Baylee is taking stock of what is next as an artist.
He disclosed that he has "around 10 new songs under my belt" and is getting ready to record some more, one of which is a song called Hey, Jesus, which he sang during American Idol's Hollywood round.
Baylee's experience on the show taught him good lessons in performance and individual development that he plans to take with him in the future.
"I'm excited. … It’s been a heck of a journey and we’re just going to keep it going,” he concluded.
Catch American Idol on ABC every Sunday and Monday at 8 pm ET.
