After giving up career for mother with cancer, Willie Nelson protégé gets second chance on ‘AGT’
Singer-songwriter Lily Meola had an emotionally challenging audition on America’s Got Talent, Tuesday. Despite having already shared a stage with Willie Nelson in 2014 and being one of Rolling Stone magazine’s “Top 10 Country Artists You Need to Know” in 2016, her life took a tragic turn.
“Then my life flipped upside down, and my mom was diagnosed with cancer,” Meola said. “And I became her full-time caretaker. I lost my record deal during that, but I think maybe it was a bit of a blessing, 'cause it gave me some extra time to really be there for her.”
Meola’s mother, Nancy, unfortunately succumbed to her cancer. However her legacy lives on in Lily’s voice and her original song “Daydream.” Releasing an album was part of Meola’s original “daydream” but she gave it up to take care of her mom. Based on the reactions from judges like Heidi Klum, they want her to have that chance again.
“I don't know what to say,” Klum told Meola. “I'm, like, speechless, you know? Like, sometimes you have someone on the stage and you hear their voice. And just everything about you, you just light up. I see a light around you. And I don't know, I immediately fell in love with you.”
Heidi gave Lily her Golden Buzzer so she could advance directly to the live rounds (tweet) and viewers on Twitter thought it was a great decision. As for Lily, the bittersweet moment was just a reminder of her mom’s love for her music.
“She’d be so mad at me if I wasn’t pursuing what I love, and ‘Daydream’ was one of her favorite songs,” Meola said backstage, after receiving the Golden Buzzer. “So, I think she’d be really happy, wherever she might be.”
Video Transcript
SIMON COWELL: Are you OK to do this audition?
LILY MEOLA: I don't know how I'm going to be able to make it through a song without crying, but you know, singing was something my mom and I really connected with.
- Singer, songwriter Lily Meola had an emotionally challenging audition on America's Got Talent Tuesday. Despite already having shared a stage with Willie Nelson in 2014 and being one of Rolling Stone magazine's Top Ten Country Artists You Need to Know in 2016, her life took a tragic turn.
LILY MEOLA: Then my life flipped upside down, and my mom was diagnosed with cancer. And I became her full time caretaker. I lost my record deal during that, but I think maybe it was a bit of a blessing. Because it gave me some extra time.
- Lily's mother Nancy, unfortunately, succumbed to her cancer. However, her legacy lives on in Lily's voice and her original song Daydream.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
LILY MEOLA: (SINGING) It still makes me nervous. It's perfectly worth it. Save it for sleep when you could be living your daydream.
- Releasing an album was part of Lily's original daydream, but she gave it up to take care of her mom. And based on the reactions from judges, like Heidi Klum, they want her to have that chance again.
HEIDI KLUM: I don't know what to say. I'm, like, speechless, you know? Like sometimes, you have someone on the stage, and you hear their voice. And just everything about you, you just light up. I see a light around you, and I don't know. Like, immediately, I fell in love with you.
- Heidi gave Lily her Golden buzzer, so she could advance directly to the live rounds, and viewers on Twitter thought it was a great decision. As for Lily, the bittersweet moment was just a reminder of her mom's love for her music.
LILY MEOLA: She'd be so mad at me if I wasn't pursuing what I love, and Daydream was one of her favorite songs. So I think she'd be really happy, wherever she might be.
