American Idol has churned out a decent number of stars since debuting in 2002. Without the reality show, we might never have met Kelly Clarkson or Clay Aiken or Carrie Underwood. We also might not have had series like The Voice, which adopted the general concept of American Idol yet added a completely unique twist. Despite a hiatus years ago, the show has made a comeback with stars like Lionel Richie and Katy Perry taking the spots once occupied by Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul.
And people are still interested. Despite the chaos of this year, people are still auditioning for the chance to be the next American Idol. And in that pool of contestants? Claudia Conway, the incredibly outspoken and brave daughter of former Donald Trump senior adviser Kellyanne Conway.
Claudia started making headlines after tweeting her political beliefs, none of which aligned with her mother. She openly supported Black Lives Matter and proved that teens have the power to make a difference. Claudia is only 16, but she is often trending online. For her to openly stand up and share her views, even though it might reflect negatively on her mom, is refreshingly rare.
However, it looks like dominating social media isn't her true passion. That would be singing. Claudia Conway showed up to showcase her skills, and it seems like the judges were impressed.
Claudia shared the experience with her fans on TikTok. "Hey guys! I'm here at American Idol confessional," she said, per People magazine. "I met Ryan Seacrest today and I have my audition soon, so stay tuned for that." Meeting Ryan, who's been with the show since the beginning, must have been an experience.
At the audition, she also got to meet Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan. Standing in front of so many superstars must have seemed terrifying at the time. But Claudia — who's luckily gotten used to the spotlight — handled it like a champ, admitting she was "very, very nervous, but very excited."
Katy Perry seemed especially excited to meet Claudia. She even posted a video featuring Claudia, making fans even more interested as to whether or not she made it to the show. "Well, well, well, let the games begin because Claudia just tried out for American Idol," Katy said.
So what does Kellyanne have to say about her daughter's latest venture? Putting any past arguments aside, she seems nothing but supportive of her daughter. "Claudia and her siblings are taught to be independent self-starters and free thinkers who dream big and aim high," she told People. "She sets goals and works toward them. Of course, American Idol is next level!"
"We are proud of Claudia for entering the arena and sharing her beautiful voice and inspirational message about mental health with others," she said. She also added a funny anecdote, saying that Claudia's been singing since she was born. It may have sounded more like screaming, but — it was notable to Kellyanne.
Claudia is actually a twin. She was born shortly after her brother, George IV. There are also two younger siblings in the Conway household — Charlotte and Vanessa. In discussing her unique cry at birth, Kellyanne added that Claudia has been "belting it out ever since."
Kellyanne went on to share one particularly funny memory of Claudia from when she was growing up. "Claudia tried to 'fire' her first piano teacher when she was 5 years old, an inexplicable and embarrassing episode that became my late father's favorite story," she said. "She is much more collaborative now, even as she will sit at the piano for hours teaching herself songs and lyrics by sound and allowing mom to introduce her to the 'oldies' from the '70s and '80s."
It's nice to see this side of Claudia and Kellyanne. Many fans of Claudia may expect that their differences in politics have harmed their relationship. However, Kellyanne seems proud of her daughter no matter what. And Claudia was very likely a big reason as to why Kellyanne stepped down from her position before the election.
Her husband also disagrees with her politically, leading many to believe that there was plenty of tension in the Conway house. However, Kellyanne took a good approach. "For now, and for my beloved children, it will be less drama, more mama," she said, after stepping down.
Even if Claudia doesn't fully make it onto the show after the audition stage, she shouldn't be too discouraged. There've been plenty of talented people who've been rejected from American Idol in the past. Colbie Caillat is one of the most notable. She reportedly auditioned twice and was turned down both times.
Maren Morris is another talented singer who didn't make it on the show but had a successful career afterward — in fact, she's been more successful than plenty of American Idol winners. In 2017, the country singer was nominated for four Grammy Awards. That year, she also won New Female Vocalist of the Year at the Academy of Country Music Awards.
Claudia has also earned herself quite the fan base. While many like her for speaking up and being knowledgeable about politics and the state of the world, surely many will also support her singing career if she chooses to go that route. No matter what, there are big things ahead for Claudia.
But she seems to be enjoying every second of the ride thus far. While she had to take a few social media breaks due to the attention her accounts were getting, it seems like she was all about her experience at American Idol. And sometimes, just being backstage at a production like that may make you reconsider your path in life.
"The last three days have been a whirlwind of interviews, rehearsals and the actual audition," Kellyanne said about her daughter's experience with the show. "She calls it the 'coolest experience' of her life," she added. No matter what, knowing Claudia might pop up on the show is a reason to watch the next season.
