McKenna Breinholt | American Idol
McKenna Breinholt is a singer and esthetician from Gilbert, Arizona.
She is a contestant in Season 22 of American Idol in 2024.
McKenna Breinholt is 25 years old.
List of Contents
Profile
| Name: | McKenna Breinholt |
| Age: | 25 years old |
| Gender: | Female |
| Hometown: | Gilbert, Arizona |
| Occupation: | Singer, esthetician |
McKenna Breinholt was adopted when she was born, she found out she was adopted as early as she was able to understand it.
Her adoptive mother had struggled for several years to get pregnant and eventually, decided to go through the adoption process.
When McKenna Breinholt turned 21 years old, she sat her parents down and asked them to tell her information they had on her birth mother because she wanted to know where she came from.
McKenna’s parents told her that her birth mother’s name was Amy Ross Lopez, and she passed away.
Amy Ross Lopez was a musician who had been performing locally in Bisbee, Arizona.
It was a lot for McKenna Breinholt to process but she instantly knew where she got her musical ear and voice from, it all just clicked.
And then just last summer, McKenna Breinholt came into contact with her entire birth family and she found out that they all sing.
It turns out that McKenna’s birth family was looking for me for probably the last eight years, and knowing that she has another family out there who’s equally excited to know and love me was amazing.
Mckenna Breinholt’s Mother
McKenna Breinholt’s mother was a musician from Bisbee, Arizona.
Her name was Amy Ross Lopez and she was born in 1973.
Amy Ross Lopez was a vocalist and keyboard player, who performed as “Whiskey Girl”.
She had a debilitating autoimmune disease – lupus. Over time, Amy’s disease grew worse.
Hoping to stem the tide, Amy and her husband Derrick Ross tried every natural method imaginable. Vitamins, raw food, sunshine. Nothing helped for long.
Amy Ross Lopez died at the age of 40 in a Tucson hospital on October 14, 2013, with her husband Derrick Ross, and other loved ones by her side.
The day after Amy’s death, Derrick Ross bought a gun and shot himself in the head.
Derrick had spoken about the possibility of suicide on several occasions, claiming that he could not live without Amy.
Derrick Ross was also a musician who performed as “Nowhere Man”, and together with Amy, the pair created an irresistible Americana act, “Nowhere Man and a Whiskey Girl”, named after lines in a Gillian Welch song.
Audition
During the auditions, McKenna Breinholt performed “There Was Jesus” by Zach Williams and Dolly Parton.
She received a standing ovation and three ‘Yeses’ from judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry, and Lionel Richie.
The judges also asked McKenna if she could sing any of her late mother’s songs, she accepted and performed “Tumbleweed” by Nowhere Man and a Whiskey Girl.
The judges rewarded McKenna with a Golden Ticket to Hollywood Week.
Performances in American Idol
| Round | Song Choice | Original Artist | Theme (If Any) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auditions | “There Was Jesus” | Zach Williams and Dolly Parton | – | Golden Ticket |
Trivia
- McKenna Breinholt had planned on meeting her birth family in person three weeks following her audition, but her adopted family surprised her at the audition with her birth family.
- The second song that McKenna performed during her audition was originally sung by her birth mother’s band, “Nowhere Man and a Whiskey Girl”.
READ MORE:
› American Idol 2024 Contestants: Meet the Season 22 Cast
› How to Vote on American Idol 2024
