American Idol: Nya sings tearful 'Georgia On My Mind' for her dad. Will she make Top 14?

Georgia was on Nya's mind when she took the "American Idol" stage Sunday. And so was her late father, who died in the Peach State when she was 16 and never got to hear her perform.

That's why the former Fort Myers singer dedicated a Ray Charles classic to him Sunday.

"'Georgia on My Mind' ― that song really was my song for him," said the 28-year-old Nya on the show. "He passed away in Georgia. I definitely wish that he could be here right now.

"I do want to dedicate the song to him. And I want to sing it so good. I want him to be proud, and I want him to be happy."

Nya ― the stage name for singer-actor-dancer Nyachomba Muchai-Kinya ― did just that when she performed a soulful, energetic version of the song Sunday night. She earned loud applause from the audience and a standing ovation from the show's judges.

And judge Lionel Richie assured her afterward: Her dad was there to hear every "undeniable" note.

"Just in case you didn’t notice, your father's standing right next to you," Richie said to a tearful Nya. "And when I say that, he's always going to be with you. He is now your guardian angel."

Nya makes American Idol's Top 20. Will she hit the Top 14?

Nya took the "American Idol" stage moments after finding out the good news: America voted last week, and she'd just made the show's Top 20 singers.

That vote followed yet another emotional Nya performance April 7: She sang the Tina Turner anthem "The Best" and dedicated it to her boyfriend John, who watched from the audience.

"He is actually the best," Nya said on the show. "Every day, he finds a way to show that he loves me, to show that he cares."

After that April 7 performance, TV viewers cast almost 30 million votes for "Idol's" Top 20 singers. Nya made the cut, and now her April 14 performance ― and America's next round of votes ― will determine if she makes it into the Top 14.

The results of that vote will be announced Monday on "American Idol."

All about Nya: Who is Nya on 'American Idol'? Get to know the New York singer from Fort Myers, Florida

Hollywood Week recap: Nya sang 'like Krispy Kreme donuts.' But did she survive the Idol Arena?

But the show's judges seemed confident about her chances after her performance of "Georgia On My Mind."

"That was an undeniable performance," judge Lionel Richie said afterward. "That was incredible."

Nya had tears in her eyes after singing the song with a full band.

"That felt good," Nya told host Ryan Seacrest afterward, her voice choked with emotion. "Trying not to cry. And seeing his picture before I started singing, it was a lot.

"So it was really nice. It was really good to dedicate this song to him."

Katy Perry compared Nya to actor/singer Jennifer Hudson and said her performance went "straight to the heart." And fellow judge Luke Bryan called it "effortless."

"You don't even ever sweat," Bryan said. "I mean, you're a former Broadway actress. Maybe just act like it's tough a little bit (laughs).

"It's truly impressive. You're one of my favorite voices in this competition. Truly amazing."

Who is 'American Idol' singer Nya?

Nya has never identified herself on the show as a former Fort Myers resident. But she grew up here and now lives in Manhattan.

It’s unclear if she was born in Florida or Kenya, however. Previous episodes suggested she was born in Kenya. But on Sunday's show, Nya said this: "My family came here from Kenya. My mom and dad weren't together by the time I was born."

Nya hasn't been made available for interviews through an "American Idol" publicist. She's been "busy in production," the publicist said.

Nya attended Fort Myers' Orangewood Elementary and Cypress Lake High's Center for the Arts. She performs on Broadway and Off-Broadway, including recent shows "Titanique" and "Carolina, or Change."

On the show, Nya said her Fort Myers mom was strict and didn't support her singing career at first. Her parents wanted her to be a lawyer or a doctor.

Her dad, however, was a big supporter ― despite never seeing her actually perform. "My dad, he was the only person, really, who understood, like, what I wanted to do," she said on the show. "He was my biggest support. He actually never heard me sing.

"So, like, when he was at the hospice, I gave a performance for him. I, like, sang him all the songs that I had already sang and the performances he didn’t get to see."

How to watch and vote for 'American Idol'

"American Idol" airs at 8 p.m. Sundays and Mondays on ABC. It also streams on Hulu.

To vote on Monday's show, visit idolvote.abc.com or the American Idol app. You can vote up to 10 times for each contestant.

You can also text the contestant's number to 21523. Nya's number is currently 6.

Learn more at abc.com/shows/american-idol.

Read more about Nya

Check out these previous articles about Nya:

Auditions: Former Fort Myers singer Nya wows judges, heads to Hollywood Week

Hollywood Week: Nya sang 'like Krispy Kreme donuts.' But did she survive the Idol Arena?

Showstopper round: Nya hits 'American' Idol stage with 'fierce' performance of Temptations' 'Get Ready'

Raves for Nya on American Idol: Get to know the New York singer from Fort Myers, Florida

Charles Runnells is an arts and entertainment reporter for The News-Press and the Naples Daily News. To reach him, call 239-335-0368 (for tickets to shows, call the venue) or email him atcrunnells@gannett.com. Follow or message him on social media: Facebook (facebook.com/charles.runnells.7), X (formerly Twitter) (@charlesrunnells), Threads (@crunnells1) and Instagram (@crunnells1).

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: American Idol recap: Nya sings tearful dedication to dad, vies for Top 14