Kellyanne Conway's daughter auditions for 'American Idol'

Season 19 of American Idol premiered Sunday, but the most anticipated audition of the night was Claudia Conway – the daughter of former White House senior counselor to Donald Trump, Kellyanne Conway.

Just one day after Trump's acquittal in his second impeachment trial, the 16-year-old social media star made her debut on Idol along with her father, George Conway, and her mother via a billboard-sized virtual wall.

"This is your time to shine, but remember: Winners are people who are willing to lose," Kellyanne told her daughter.

The alarming and toxic Conway family drama, particularly between Claudia and Kellyanne, has played out in real time on Claudia’s social media over the past couple years, so when Claudia appeared on Idol Sunday, Katy immediately asked her, “Are you OK?” Claudia responded with a nervous chuckle, “No! But yes.” Katy even asked if Kellyanne still hugs Claudia, to which Claudia answered affirmatively, although she elaborated, “She loves me, I love her, but our relationship, I feel like it’s a little iffy.” Claudia went on to explain that being on Idol was a way for her to share her true voice and establish her own identity, a way to prove that she’s more than just “emancipation girl” or “that blond woman from Fox News' daughter.”

“Most of my life, my feelings had been suppressed, so then I got social media and was like, ‘Well, yeah. Now my voice is being heard,’” a surprisingly mature and poised Claudia explained to Katy and judges Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan Sunday. “When your mom is working for the president of the United States, who you very much disagree with, it's hard. …The internet can be a very, very dark place. But when life is all going downhill, I have my music. Now, I want to get out of the controversy, get out of the drama, and let people know that I am a singer and this is what I want to do.”

Viewers were actually surprised by the fact that Claudia Conway can actually sing. One person even tweeted that she got emotional watching her audition and stated that she hopes Claudia finds her own voice.

As for the judges, Katy Perry was rooting for Claudia. The pop star even stopped her mid-audition, instructed her to take her heels off and asked her to try a different song. “When you sing this song, think about when you were young. And there’s a sadness there. It’s like you lost your youth, because you weren’t able to experience it on your own without all of this noise," said Katy. And after Claudia sang Adele's "When We Were Young," she received a golden ticket not to D.C., but to Hollywood.

Video Transcript

- Hi.

- Hey.

- Are you OK?

- No.

- No?

- [LAUGHS] No, but yes. I'm--

- Yes and no.

- Yeah.

- What am I missing?

- Season 19 of "American Idol" premiered Sunday, but the most anticipated audition of the night was Claudia Conway, the daughter of former White House senior counsellor to Donald Trump, Kellyanne Conway.

- I had to move to Washington D.C. when I was 12, and I hated it. When your mom's working for the President of the United States, who you very much disagree with, it's really hard.

- Just one day after Trump's acquittal in his second impeachment trial, the 16-year-old social media star made her debut on "Idol," along with her father George Conway and her mother via a billboard-sized virtual wall.

- Winners are people who are willing to lose.

- With your mom being the figure that she is, do you still-- like-- does she still hug you?

- I mean, yeah. She loves me. I love her. It's just I feel like our relationship's a little-- it's a little iffy.

- Viewers were actually surprised by the fact that Claudia can actually sing. One person tweeted that she got emotional watching her audition and stated that she hopes Claudia finds her own voice.

- (SINGING) Let me photograph you in this light in case it is the last time that we might be exactly like we were before we realized.

- As for the judges, Katy Perry was rooting for Claudia. The pop star even stopped her middle audition, instructed her to take her heels off, and asked her to try a different song.

- When you sing this next song, think about when you were young and go back to that time. And there's a sadness there. It's like you lost your youth.

- And after Claudia sang Adele's "When We Were Young," she received a golden ticket not to D.C., but to Hollywood.

- 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.