"The family I made here is insane" — American Idol star Grayson Torrence expresses gratitude after emotional elimination

American Idol season 23 episode 11, which premiered on April 15, featured 20 of the Top 24 contestants advancing to the next round, while four of them faced elimination.

Grayson Torrence, one of the four eliminated contestants, shared a heartfelt message after her exit, expressing gratitude for her journey.

The April 15 Instagram post featured a bunch of photos featuring Grayson having fun while wandering backstage. In the caption of the post, the singer described her run as an "unbelievable blessing" and thanked all the people who offered their love and support for her.

The singer acknowledged that while her journey on the show was over, it wasn't the end of her professional career as a singer.

She was excited about her future endeavors and thanked American Idol for helping her meet "some of the best people" she has ever met.

"I wouldn’t be who I am today if I never did this, so thank you to everyone who pushed me to chase my dreams. This has been a crazy, unexpected ride, but I couldn’t be more grateful," she added.

Reflecting on the connections she formed on the show, Grayson referred to them as her insane family and expressed confidence that they would soon cross paths again.

"The family I made here is insane, and I know I will see them soon. Keep on killing it up there, y'all! This is definitely the best season yet! With that being said, I love you guys so so so much! I promise I'm not going anywhere, see y'all soon," she concluded.

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Who is American Idol season 23 contestant Grayson Torrence? Her passion for making music explored

American Idol season 23 episode 11, Songs of Faith, premiered on ABC on April 20. The Easter special episode featured the top 24 contestants singing songs that best expressed their meaning of faith.

Eventually, by the end of the episode, only 20 singers were advanced to the next round, while four, including Grayson Torrence, were eliminated and sent home.

Grayson is a 21-year-old gymnastics instructor from Providence Forge, Virginia.

Before the premiere of the season, in an interview with the Virginian-Pilot, published on February 11, 2025, the singer reflected on her past and opened up about her passion for music.

The Virginia native said she has always enjoyed watching American Idol, especially seeing others sing and perform. So when she was elected for the auditions, she was filled with excitement for the opportunity.

Grayson’s mother enrolled her in voice lessons at an early age, and by the age of 13, she was performing live for venues in Williamsburg and Richmond. Some time later, she hired a band and started making her own songs.

As of now, the American Idol contestant has released four singles and has also prepared music videos for each one of them. She considers herself to be an "emotional writer" and shared that she writes songs based on things that she feels at the moment.

“I have 300 songs that haven’t seen the light of day yet. I have a whole notebook filled with songs I’ve written. I am going to need to start another one soon,” she added.

Additionally, Grayson noted that she loved establishing a connection with her audience, whether she was singing her songs or covering others.

“I love the crowds and being able to connect with people through my performances. Even with a cover song, I try to put myself in their shoes and try to think how they felt when they wrote the song or performed it,” she concluded.

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