Samantha Ray, Carrie Underwood; Photos via ABC, American Idol

Samantha Ray, a 22-year-old stay-at-home mom, moved the Season eight American Idol judging panel to tears with her rendition of “I Hope You Dance” in honor of her late sister.

Before diving into the iconic Lee Ann Womack hit, Ray informed the judges that standing before them and getting the chance to put her talent on display to the world was a dream come true moment. She explained that winning Idol would mean “absolutely everything” to her because the show holds such a special place in her heart.

Ray discovered a love for music at an early age by watching American Idol and singing alongside her sister.
Samantha Ray; Photo by Disney/Eric McCandless
“I had somebody to sing with. She was my music partner. I would sing a song and she would sing a song, or we’d sing a song together, do harmonies. Me and her both loved Carrie Underwood, so impressing her is like the top of the line for me,” the hopeful contestant shared.

Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan were hooked the minute Ray began singing. She closed her eyes and let the melody of the grand piano guide her through the powerful tune, showcasing her wide range of vocals that were so powerful and full of emotions that the judges couldn’t contain their awe-filled expressions.

Her performance earned a round of strong applause from the panel of stars sitting in front of her. The Georgia native entered the room radiating positivity, but the judges were quick to pick up on the fact that there was clear sadness hanging onto every word of the song.

This promoted Byran to ask, “What were you thinking about when you sang that?”

She proceeded to stir up even more emotions as she explained that she was thinking about her sister who passed away in February from an overdose.

“Losing her hurts a lot because she was a year younger than me. We were very close. She had two little boys, and knowing they don’t have their mom anymore is really heartbreaking. So I’m here for her,” Ray stated proudly as images of her and her late sibling flashed across the screen.
Samantha Ray; Photo by Disney/Eric McCandless
When Bryan turned his attention to Underwood, prompting her to share her thoughts, the “I’m Gonna Love You” singer had tears in her eyes and admittingly needed a moment to collect herself.

She passed it over to Lionel Richie who told Ray, “From the first note, I was trying to compose myself because every once in a while, we just run across some people who have the absolute trigger on emotions. You did it perfectly.”

Underwood wiped her tears and was ready to share her positive feedback on the performance.

“We didn’t know what you were thinking about, but we knew you were thinking about something, and that’s being a storyteller that pulls people in, and that was really special,” she shared.

Bryan commended Ray on taking a classic like “I Hope You Dance” and singing it in a way that made it her own, while still maintaining the emotive storytelling throughout the narrative. Much like his fellow judges, the country star appeared to be blown away by the singer standing in front of him.

“You don’t really overthink it, and it felt very listenable. It’s a yes for me.”

Samantha Ray earned a “yes” from Underwood and Richie as well, securing her ticket to Hollywood.

American Idol fans can tune into the show to see Pruitt’s journey unfold throughout the competition. There is one more round of auditions that will take place next Sunday, March 30 on ABC, before the lucky ticket holders make their way to Hollywood week.