The 16-year-old daughter of former Donald Trump counselor Kellyanne Conway also mentions that she hopes by joining the show, she can 'get out of the controversy' and 'drama' surrounding her.
- Feb 15, 2021
AceShowbiz - Claudia Conway is among the "American Idol" hopefuls in the new season of the ABC singing competition show. In the Sunday, February 14 season premiere, the daughter of former Donald Trump counselor Kellyanne Conway appeared in front of judges, hoping to impress them.
The 16-year-old opted to sing Rihanna's "Love on the Brain" for her audition. However, it fell flat as the judges wanted her to sing another song and she then sang Adele's "When We Were Young". While Katy Perry and fellow judge Lionel Richie said yes to Claudia, her performance wasn't convincing enough for Luke Bryan. The country singer thought the song only confirmed Claudia's "limited" range. Despite that, she was voted throught the next round.
The episode also saw Claudia discussing her relationship with her mother, telling the judges that it was "iffy" and saying that she wanted to get away "from the drama." She explained, "My parents are high profile political figures. My mother is Kellyanne Conway. She worked for Trump. And my dad's George Conway. He worked against Trump."
"It's a lot," she continued. "But you know, I only want to spread love, and I love a compromise, and I do disagree with my mom and dad... I had to move to Washington, D.C. when I was 12 and I hated it. When your mom is working for the President of the United States, who you very much disagree with, it's really hard."
Of her mom, who was accused of abusing her, Claudia said, "She loves me; I love her. I just feel like our relationship is a little iffy. Most of my life, my feelings have been suppressed. So then I got on social media, and I was like, 'Well damn, now my voice is being heard.' You know?"
She hoped by joining the show, she could "get out of the controversy, get out of the drama, get out of the politics... and let people know that I am a singer, and this is what I want to do."
Katy then shared some advice for Claudia, "There's a lot of noise in your life. You have to calm the storm that is around you. Meaning, before you sing, you need to get off your phone. You need to stop reading your comments. Push it aside. Because if not, you may not ever rise above your dad or your mom. It's your choice."
Accompanying the teen to her journey achieving her Hollywood dream was her father George, the founder of the anti-Trump Lincoln Project. He could be seen crying once he found out that his daughter advanced to the next round.
George wasn't the only one who was happy for Claudia. Kellyanne made a surprise appearance by having a video call with her daughter. "I love you so much. I'm so proud of you," the politician told Claudia. She concluded her message, "This is your time to shine. But remember, honey--winners are people who are willing to lose."
