‘American Idol’ Contestant Moves Lionel Richie to Tears Revealing Her Dad Is in the ICU

Lionel Richie got emotional in the latest American Idol.

On Monday’s episode of the singing competition series, a contestant moved Richie to tears.

Auditions continued for Season 24 of Idol on ABC, and it continued to be as emotional as ever. The judges, also including Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan, were introduced to 19-year-old Lanii. The high school student, who flew from Arizona to Nashville, explained she came alone and that her dad is in the ICU.

“So this is all for him,” Lanii said to the judges. “I’m doing this for him, he believed in me and I’m here and I want this more than ever, now.” To the cameras, Lanii said that her dad believed in her when no one else did. He was struggling with addiction before she was born. While he has been getting better because he stopped, Lanii revealed that her father is in liver failure and is awaiting a transplant. American Idol might be the last chance she has to show her dad that she’s fighting for him.

Following an emotional and powerful rendition of Demi Lovato’s “Tell Me You Love Me,” Lanii got some much-deserved praise from Underwood and Bryan before it was Richie’s turn. He admitted to being “all messed up,” and he was wiping away tears while speaking. Richie said it’s “pretty uplifting” to see the human spirit, and she is the “perfect example” of it. Not surprisingly, all three judges gave her a “Yes,” and she got the ticket for Hollywood Week as well as a group hug. There was not a dry eye in that room.

American Idol is known for having emotional auditions, and there is no shortage of that with the new season. The premiere of the ninth season, 24^th season overall, ended with a sob fest for Underwood after a young singer sang the song she wrote for a girl around her age who took her own life, after meeting the girl’s mother for the first time. Emotions have been everywhere, and that doesn’t seem to be stopping.

There will be much more to come as the season continues, and with Lanii through to Hollywood Week, fans will just have to tune in to see how far she makes it. New episodes of American Idol air on Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC, streaming the next day on Hulu.