Alyssa Wray (ABC/Eric McCandless)
Alyssa Wray got a special inspiration before her performance on American Idol Monday night. Wray, the 19-year-old from Perryville, got a direct message on Twitter from former American Idol contestant Jennifer Hudson — a singer, actress, and philanthropist who has won an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and two Grammy Awards.
Wray admitted Hudson was her “idol” and said Hudson told her to “make them wait for you.”
Wray didn’t have to do that because host Ryan Seacrest told her she was advancing to the final 12 before she sang Whitney Houston’s “Greatest Love of All.”
With judge Luke Bryan out with COVID, former Idol judge Paula Abdul took his spot and had some advice for Wray after hearing her in person for the first time.
“You are magnetic on stage. You look like a seasoned pro,” Abdul said. “I love how great you are.
“It’s not easy to take on a song by Whitney Houston. It is great to be brave but make sure you let you shine in your own unique way.”
Wray has been shining and will get her chance to shine again on American Idol Sunday at 8 p.m. on ABC-TV. She also shined on stage Monday night when other contestants were singing — she has called them all her friends — by standing, clapping, and smiling during their performances.
Wray’s mother, Tabitha Blackwell, was in California with her but did not have a ticket to the live show. Instead, she watched on TV — and this was the first time she did not know the outcome before her daughter sang since all the previous shows had been taped.
