‘American Idol’: Claudia Conway Wows Judges With Transformation and Stunning Performance in Hollywood Week

Claudia Conway is proving to be a force to be reckoned with as she continues her journey on American Idol. After making it through the first round of auditions, the 16-year-old daughter of Donald Trump’s former senior counselor Kellyanne Conway may well be on her way to the live rounds after wowing judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan during her first Hollywood Week performance.

Taking the stage for her Genre Challenge performance, Claudia impressed the judges even before she began serenading them with a cover of “River” by Bishop Briggs. Sporting new dark locks and a more mature look, Perry was nearly speechless, just managing to get out, “I’m sorry, excuse me, what?” While Claudia said the new look was just “a little change,” Perry dubbed it “a transformation.” In a pre-taped package, meanwhile, Claudia credited the singer’s words of advice at her first audition in Ojai, California for helping her remain focused and motivated, telling the camera, “She believed in me, and I could not be more grateful for that. Now I’m just trying it all out telling myself I can do it.”

During Sunday night’s episode, contestants were broken up into groups based on one of six genres – pop, rock, indie-folk, R&B, soul, and country. Claudia was in the pop group, which also included singers Mary Jo Young and Colin Jamieson, and belted out “River.” Her rendition was more than enough to convince the judges she deserved to move on to another week, with Perry sharing with the group, “Sometimes you don’t know why you go forward or you stay back. But I hope with this news, you find some form of trust. It will happen when it’s meant to happen. Congratulations, you’re all in the next round!” The news that she had moved on was met with excitement and support from Claudia’s mother, who screamed “Claudia, whew!” and was seen hugging her daughter backstage and teasing her own musical chops as she sang, “This girl is on fire, this girl is on fire.”

Claudia, who first appeared on the singing competition during the season premiere in February, impressing the judges with her rendition of Rihanna’s “Love on the Brain” and later Adele’s “When We Were Young,” will now move onto the second week of Hollywood Week. The next round will be a duets round, where contestants will be paired by the judges. Round two of Hollywood Week airs Monday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.