“It’s a pain I understand” - American Idol star Jelly Roll gets emotional after contestant Gabby Samone's rehearsal

American Idol season 23 episode 9, Top 24 at Disney's Aulani Resort in Hawaii (1), premiered on ABC on April 13. Filmed at Hawaii’s Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa, the episode featured 12 of the Top 24 contestants performing on stage. R&B star Ashanti served as their mentor, while Jelly Roll stepped in as the artist in residence.

Jelly Roll quickly formed a deep connection with the contestants he worked with and grew emotional during some of the rehearsals.

While accompanying Ashanti to observe Gabby Samone’s practice session, Jelly was moved by the contestant’s powerful story. Gabby opened up about the hardships she and her family faced, including periods without electricity or even a stable roof over their heads.

After Gabby belted out the tune during her rehearsal performance of Celine Dion's It’s All Coming Back To Me Now, Jelly was visibly emotional. With tears in his eyes, he told her that he understood her pain and encouraged her to keep channeling her story through her music.

"It’s a pain I understand. “You keep singing with that ‘why.’ You keep sharing that ‘why.’ I know how uncomfortable it is to be that vulnerable in front of all these people on TV, but man, it’s special,” he told Gabby.

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American Idol star Jelly Roll guides Gabby Samone during her rehearsals

In American Idol season 23 episode 9, before Gabby Samone's rehearsals, artist in residence, Jelly Roll, joined host Ryan Seacrest onstage. Ryan noted that the thing that everyone loved the most about him was the fact that he wasn't afraid to show his emotions.

Highlighting some of the rehearsals, the host then asked Jelly to share why he gets emotional while guiding them through their practice session.

In response, Jelly explained that music meant a lot to him and always did something to him. He noted that it gave him chills, made him cry, and allowed him to experience the emotions that he couldn’t contain.

He added that if an individual paired "good music with a really good story," then it was enough to touch his heart.

Later in the episode, Ryan introduced Gabby Samone to the stage for her performance, teasing her upcoming “emotional” segment, which highlighted the heartfelt guidance she received from Jelly Roll and Ashanti during rehearsal.

In the American Idol rehearsals clip, as Gabby practiced her chosen song, It’s All Coming Back To Me Now by Celine Dion, she opened up about her family's struggling life.

"I come from a big family, I’m the youngest of eight. Singing is really something that I do for them because we struggled a lot. There were times when we struggled to keep the lights on. There were times that we struggled to even stay in a home. I want my parents to relax and I want my parents to not have to work. And my siblings, I want them to see that they can go for their dreams," she said.

The American Idol star continued:

I just feel like I have always been the glue of the family and sometimes I feel weak,” she continued, and wiping away tears, added, “It’s just been a lot.

Jelly was moved by Gabby's rehearsal performance, even pointing to the tears streaming down his face as he praised the emotional power of her storytelling through her chosen song.

American Idol's artist in residence told Gabby that he could understand her pain and admitted how uncomfortable it was to be that vulnerable in front of all the millions of people watching on TV.

Gabby appreciated Jelly's praise. Visibly emotional, she further thanked him for bringing the best out of her.

When she hit the stage, Gabby managed to awe the judges with her touching performance. The American Idol season 26 contestant later told the host that working with the two mentors helped her realize that by sharing her own emotions through her songs, she could encourage people to be comfortable being vulnerable around others.

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American Idol season 23 episodes premiere every Sunday/Monday on ABC, and are available to stream on Hulu a day later.