Many American Idol hopefuls have the luxury of arriving as a complete unknown, but not Emmy Russell. As the granddaughter of iconic country trailblazer Loretta Lynn, the Tennessee native had major shoes to fill. Viewers watched Russell step into her own power as an artist while still honoring her "Memaw's" legacy. Although ultimately eliminated just shy of finale night, Russell is still pushing forward -- both in music and in motherhood.
Emmy Russell's Instagram bio declares the American Idol finalist a "Daytime mom, nighttime musician." On Feb. 1, American Idol finalist Emmy Russell and her partner, singer-songwriter Tyler Ward, announced the birth of their daughter, Taylor Raydiant Ward.
Being the child of two musicians, baby Taylor naturally already has a song in her honor. Last month Russell, 26, and Ward, 40, released "London Bridges," an emotional tribute to their newborn that saw both parents shed tears during the recording process.
Consequently, "Mom" isn't the only title Russell has recently gained. The "skinny" singer revealed during a recent interview with People magazine that she and Ward quietly married last year during an intimate ceremony in their Nashville living room.
"We told everybody so last minute because we wanted to make sure it was for us and not everybody else," said Ward, creator of the Nashville songwriting collective Song House Co. "We wrote our own vows. And it was one of those things where you're like, this to me is how it's supposed to be, because it was between us."
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Post-American Idol, Emmy Russell is learning to juggle marriage, motherhood, and music. Her original song, "skinny," hit 1 million streams on Spotify last summer. And fans have the opportunity to see Russell perform it live this year.
The "Redemption" singer will open for Megan Moroney on the reigning CMA New Artist of the Year's Am I Okay? Tour. Russell joins Moroney for two shows April 11-12 in Knoxville, Tennessee.
"Exciting season," Russell wrote in an announcement post on Instagram.