Watch California singer take ‘musical risks’ with Chaka Khan cover on ‘American Idol’
A California singer took a big risk with her bold song choice — and it paid off on the “American Idol” stage.
Ava Maybee, a 21-year-old college student, received praise for being brave enough to perform Chaka Khan’s “Tell Me Something Good.”
“There’s a little bit of room for error but there’s a lot of room to show off, and it’s a fine line that you straddled very well,” celebrity judge Katy Perry said during the episode that aired Monday, April 11. “So good for you for taking those musical risks.”
Maybee, who lives in Los Angeles, became a top 24 “American Idol” contestant after she first impressed the judges with her voice and clothing style. She later participated in a sing-off competition and revealed that her dad was Chad Smith, drummer for the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
“I like to keep my music separate from my dad cause it’s really important for me to make it on my own,” she said in a past episode. “So, I’m here doing it by myself.”
In Maybee’s latest audition, celebrity judges Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie joined in applauding her for tackling a risky song.
“There are songs that are a little dangerous to perform on ‘American Idol,’ and historically this is one of ‘em that gives contestants a little bit of a problem,” Bryan said.
Perry also weighed in on the way Maybee sounded on stage: “It was really soulful and quite funky which is another side of you (I) think that really turned up and showed off tonight.”
After the audition, Maybee’s fate wasn’t in the hands of the “American Idol” judges. Viewers had a chance to vote to determine whether she moved onto the next round.
“You have the power to keep me in the competition,” the singer wrote on Instagram before the voting deadline hit early April 12.
