Tears, Applause, and One Unforgettable Song: Stay-at-Home Mom Breanna Nix Stuns American Idol Judges With Powerful Performance That Brought Carrie Underwood to the Verge of Tears and Left Viewers Speechless Across the Country

In an audition that felt more like a spiritual awakening than a talent show moment, 25-year-old Breanna Nix stepped onto the American Idol stage and instantly captured the hearts of everyone watching. A stay-at-home mom driven by faith and determination, Nix poured her soul into Lauren Daigle’s “Still Rolling Stones”—a performance so raw and powerful it nearly brought Carrie Underwood to tears. The room fell silent as the final note hung in the air, and in that moment, a star was born.

Curious how one mom with a voice and a mission left a nation breathless? Watch the full performance and hear the judges’ emotional reactions now.

Breanna Nix Performed In Hawaii With Other Members Of American Idol‘s Top 24

Fan-favorite American Idol contestant Breanna Nix covered a popular Christian song when she performed in Hawaii on Sunday night’s (April 13) episode.

Viewers met Breanna during the auditions for Season 23. Her husband, Austin, and son, Emerson, accompanied her in the audition room.

Austin played piano, and little Emerson sat with judge Carrie Underwood while his mama sang. He started falling asleep as he listened to her beautifully sing Carrie’s “Jesus, Take the Wheel.”

The emotions of the moment got to Carrie, and she began crying.

Breanna earned three “yes” votes and a Golden Ticket to Hollywood. She made it through the showstoppers round after delivering a stunning Kelly Clarkson cover that gave Luke Bryan “full body chills.“

Then, Breanna sang Christian artist Brandon Lake’s “Gratitude” with IAMKNOWN in the head-to-head round. Their performance earned an emotional response from Carrie, who called them “brave” for openly singing about their faith on national TV.

“Ladies, Riley, Breanna, I wanna tell you how difficult it is to come into the entertainment industry and bring your faith with you,” Carrie, a devoted Christian herself, said. “It is a brave thing to do because there are a lot of outside forces that are gonna tell you not to do that. I wanna tell you that I’m proud of you guys.”

Breanna advanced through the head-to-head round and became one of the season’s Top 24 contestants. She and her fellow Idol hopefuls traveled to Hawaii for the next round of the competition, where they sang at Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa.

Breanna Nix Covers Christian Artist Lauren Daigle’s “Still Rolling Stones”

For her Hawaii performance, Breanna showcased her faith once again by covering “Still Rolling Stones” by Christian artist Lauren Daigle.

Lauren initially released “Still Rolling Stones” as a promotional single in 2018. It was officially released to Christian radio in April 2020.

“Still Rolling Stones” climbed up the charts, eventually ranking at #4 on the US Christian Songs chart and #5 on the US Christian Airplay chart. By the end of 2020, the track sat at #26 on both charts’ year-end rankings.

Breanna’s passionate cover of “Still Rolling Stones” amazed the Idol judges and captivated the small crowd who gathered to watch. Everyone had their hands in the air, and the three judges stood up mid-song.

They heaped praise on Breanna after her performance ended:

“Breanna, that first note out of your mouth was like a growl, you’re like, ‘I’m here,‘” Carrie said. “That was amazing … so much power, so much heart behind it.”

“I mean, if anyone has ever picked the right song, that is your deal,” Luke Bryan said. “The confidence that you embodied, I mean, it was like watching when Adele is in her zone. You truly owned that moment; you never let off the gas from the start to the finish.”

Lionel Richie called on the crowd to shout “Amen” (which they did!) before offering his commentary. He said, “You brought something into this whole competition. You have actually been leading in terms of just bringing more and more of your faith into being. And I’m loving the way you just came out onstage, put your foot down, and killed it.”

Watch Breanna Nix’s outstanding rendition of “Still Rolling Stones” in the video below. You’ll soon see why the judges were so impressed with her performance.