America - Baylee - 23 years old, son of Brian Littrell of Backstreet Boys - attracted attention with his duet with his father at the American Idol audition.
In the first episode of American Idol on March 9, Baylee surprised everyone when she revealed that she was Brian Littrell's son after singer Carrie Underwood - one of the three judges along with Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie - said he looked familiar. Before that, Baylee only introduced her name and hometown, without mentioning her father. After revealing her identity, Baylee performed her self-composed song Waiting On Myself To Die, which was highly appreciated.
When the performance ended, Luke Bryan asked Baylee if the father and son had ever sung together. He responded by inviting his father into the studio to sing the song again. The performance of both received many compliments from the judges. Carrie Underwood commented that Baylee was not overshadowed and maintained her form when performing with her superstar father. Singer Lionel Richie said that his career would go further. After the three artists agreed to let Baylee move on to the next round, Brian Littrell said he "would cry" because of emotion.
In the interview, the singer said that he and his wife, actress Leighanne Wallace, are very proud of their son. "Many people think that growing up in the entertainment industry is a privilege, but in my opinion, it's not easy. I often tell people that my son is 10 times better than me," he added.
As for Baylee, he admitted that his father's success is both an inspiration and a pressure when pursuing an artistic path. "Following in my father's footsteps is scary because to me, his career is one of the most extraordinary things in music history. No one can compare," the contestant said.
The duet was loved by many people, reaching nearly a million views on YouTube and more than four million views on Instagram. Most viewers commented that Baylee is handsome like Brian and behaves modestly despite having artist parents. They also praised the singer and his wife for raising their child well, believing that he will soon reap success.
Some accounts commented: "I like how Brian tries not to overwhelm his son when singing together, so he can fully enjoy this precious moment", "It's good to see a celebrity like Brian taking the time to nurture his relationship with his children, especially when the two bond over music".
Brian Littrell was born in 1975, is one of the five pieces of Backstreet Boys, debuted in 1993. Besides working with the band, the singer released the solo album Welcome Home (2006) and acted in movies. In 2000, he married actress Leighanne Wallace in 2000, always considering his wife as a "solid support" for more than 20 years together. Baylee Littrell was born in 2002, the only son of Brian and his wife. Since childhood, he followed his father on many tours with the band, singing the opening song of the group's shows at the age of 10. By 2019, he had participated in 42 Backstreet Boys performances as an opening singer, according to People. In November 2019, he introduced his debut album in the country music genre. Brian Littrell directly guided his son in the profession, while Leighanne Wallace was his manager. Besides singing, he also tried his hand at Broadway.
American Idol is a music competition based on the British show Pop Idol, created in the US by Simon Fuller with the first season in 2002. The show is currently in its 23rd season, airing on ABC since March 9. Three singers Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie are judges.