Celebrity Kids and Relatives Who’ve Appeared on American Idol

American Idol is arguably television’s biggest, most influential platform for emerging artists over the past 23 years – including relatives of some very famous faces.

From siblings of pop superstars to the children of Hollywood royalty, numerous Idol auditioners tried to carve out their own place in the spotlight. Some sailed through the audition rounds, while others never got that golden ticket to Hollywood. Idol season 23 will showcase a similar journey, as Backstreet Boys star Brian Littrell‘s son Baylee Littrell recently auditioned.

Keep scrolling for the stories of Idol contestants who brought some extra star-power to the show:

Baylee Littrell

In February 2025, Backstreet Boy Littrell’s 22-year-old son Baylee shared via Instagram that he would be auditioning for Idol‘s upcoming season. Baylee encouraged his social media followers to “tune in to see the season premiere” on March 9 to find out whether he impressed judges Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie and Carrie Underwood.

Brian told NBC’s TODAY that Baylee is ready for the spotlight because he grew up around the worldwide success of the Backstreet Boys.

“He was just texting me last night, going, ‘Dad, dude, how do you do this? Like, it’s hard work,’” Brian said on Friday, February 14. “He’s been busting his butt, and I’m super proud of him. He kind of gets a new sense of reality of what this is.”

The “I Want It That Way” singer went on: “He tells this joke about being at a convenience store or a drug store, and there was a Millennium album, in the casing of all these CDs. And he picks it up… and he was like, ‘Oh, my gosh, that’s my dad!’ And this was when he was, like, probably 7 or 8 years old.”

Baylee released his second collection of original music, titled EP Vol. One, in September 2022.

Emmy Russell

Russell revealed to judge Katy Perry during her season 22 Idol audition that her grandmother was legendary country music vocalist Loretta Lynn. Lynn, who died at age 90 in October 2022, was a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame and received a Presidential Medal of Freedom from Barack Obama in 2013.

“She’s one of the biggest country music singers of all time, but to me she’s just Grandma,” Russell told Idol viewers.

After passing through the audition round with her original track “Skinny,” Russell made it to the Top 5 before being eliminated alongside Triston Harper one week before the Idol finals in May 2024. After her elimination aired, Russell graciously thanked her fans for supporting her throughout the competition.

“I’m just really feeling grateful. I didn’t make Top 3, but… that was God’s plan. That was funny because before I got eliminated, I think God told me, he was like, ‘Emmy, you’re not gonna be chosen by America, but I chose you,’” Russell said via Instagram.

Nikko Smith

Nikko was one of the first celebrity relatives to make it on air, placing ninth overall in American Idol‘s fourth season in 2005. The son of Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith dazzled judge Simon Cowell with his cover of Stevie Wonder‘s “All I Do” during his audition.

Ozzie responded to his son’s success by admitting to St. Louis Magazine that any child of a celebrity faces “added pressure” in trying to live up to their parent’s success.

“I don’t think that’s fair to your kid,” Ozzie argued.

In October 2006, Nikko was picked to perform “The Star-Spangled Banner” before Game 4 of the World Series at Busch Stadium, where his father Ozzie played for 14 years with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Jordin Sparks

Former New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys cornerback Phillippi Sparks‘ daughter Jordin took Idol by storm when she won the show at 17 years old in season 6. Phillippi told Sports Illustrated in 2007 that he was happy for his NFL career to be overshadowed by his daughter’s Idol success.

“What you want as a dad is for your kids to outdo you, and that’s what happened,” he told the outlet at the time. “Being Jordin Sparks’s dad is going to last a lot longer than being Phillippi Sparks, the football player.”

Phillippi joked that he may have played a bigger role in Jordin’s Idol victory than many viewers would have guessed.

“I sang from third grade to 12th grade. My mom had us in choir. I can hold a tune. Maybe that’s where Jordin got her rhythm from,” he teased.

Jordin parlayed her American Idol win into selling over two million copies of debut solo album in 2007 and hit No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart in 2008 with “No Air,” her duet with Chris Brown. She subsequently competed on Dancing With the Stars season 31 in 2022 and has starred in both In the Heights and Waitress on Broadway.

Claudia Conway

There was no shortage of controversy about Claudia’s American Idol audition in 2021, as she was the daughter of President Donald Trump‘s senior advisor Kellyanne Conway and one of the politician’s sharpest critics, pundit George Conway. The then-16-year-old Claudia got through to Hollywood after winning over skeptical judges Perry and Richie with her covers of Rihanna’s “Love on the Brain” and Adele‘s “When We Were Young,” but was eliminated before the live shows.

Claudia responded on TikTok to accusations that her Idol audition was nothing more than a publicity stunt for the ABC reality show.

“I’ve been singing my whole life, I grew up in musical theater,” she insisted. “Music has been one of the pillars in my life and I wouldn’t be here without it. I play about eight instruments. I’ve just been doing it since I could walk.”

Claudia continued: “[Idol] saw a video I posted as a joke of me singing and they were like, ‘Hey, do you want to audition?’ and I was like, ‘Oh s—, yeah.’ Because who wouldn’t? So everyone thinks that this is a publicity stunt or me trying to be like, whatever, but no – music is my passion.”

Since her time on American Idol, Claudia has pursued music, modeling and political advocacy. She memorably mocked her mom’s creation of the term “alternate facts” during the first Trump administration, dismissing the phrase as “definitely not a slay.”

Alex Preston

The singer-songwriter had his musical breakthrough on Idol‘s 13th season in 2014. Judges and viewers found out along the way that he is the cousin of country music star Jo Dee Messina.

Preston wowed the judges in his Salt Lake City audition with his original song “Fairytales,” before finishing third behind eventual winner Caleb Johnson and runner-up Jena Irene. Messina offered her support on social media when she heard he’d auditioned with an original song.

“American Idol. My cousin Alex Preston is gonna be on. He’s singing an original song. That’s gutsy,” she tweeted before Idol’s 2014 premiere.

After his time on Idol, Preston wrote songs for Messina and helped her crowdfund the production of her 2014 album Me by exceeding her goal of raising $100,000. Preston’s self-titled debut solo album was released in 2015 and was followed three years later by A Work in Progress.

Jane Carrey

Hollywood legend Jim Carrey was his daughter Jane’s biggest supporter when she competed on American Idol‘s 11th season in 2012. Jane charmed viewers with her story of balancing her love of music with her responsibilities as a working mother.

“I’m a mom first, and a waitress on and off for like six years, probably, and a musician,” she told Idol fans in her introductory video. “I’ve been singing for as long as I can remember. I was in the school plays. I’m a huge ham. I’ve always liked to be on stage.”

Jane admitted that it had been difficult to “find her place” while growing up “underneath this huge shadow” of her famous father.

“The last name [Carrey] definitely helps and hurts,” she acknowledged. “I think there’s maybe this pressure to be ‘better.’”

Jane made it to Hollywood Week on Idol, but was cut from the competition before the live shows. She contributed music to her father’s 2014 movie Dumb and Dumber To and appeared in his TV series Kidding.

Lara Johnston

Doobie Brothers guitarist and vocalist Tom Johnston‘s daughter was an early standout on American Idol‘s 10th season in 2011. She auditioned in San Francisco with a reworked version of Stevie Wonder’s “All I Do” that earned three “yeses” from judges Steven Tyler, Jennifer Lopez and Randy Jackson. Lara was ultimately eliminated during the Hollywood round.

Idol wasn’t Lara’s first brush with reality TV — she finished in fifth place on Rock the Cradle, a competition for the children of famous musicians, in 2008. She has continued pursuing music, including working as a background vocalist for Gwen Stefani and Neil Young.

Ricco Barrino

Sometimes, Idol dreams run in the family! Season 3 winner Fantasia Barrino‘s older brother Ricco tried out for the reality competition in season 7. Ricco had the judges split with his performance of Sam Cooke‘s gospel anthem “A Change Is Gonna Come,” but he was later sent home.

Ricco signed with T.I.‘s Grand Hustle Records and has collaborated with hip hop icons Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, Young Dolph and his sister Fantasia. He released the single “Only One” in 2024.

Michael Castro

Season 7 alum Jason Castro‘s brother Michael had a strong start on Idol season 9 with his a cappella version of Gavin DeGraw‘s “In Love With A Girl.” Michael easily advanced to Hollywood, but was cut after clashing with fellow contestants in the group audition. (He insisted he’d been sick and wasn’t able to perform to the best of his abilities.)

Michael has self-released music since leaving Idol and even collaborated with his brother on a YouTube cover of Demi Lovato‘s hit “Give Your Heart A Break.”

“We’re both kind of closet Demi Lovato fans. She has a great voice,” Jason told The Hollywood Reporter of his sibling in 2013.

American Idol season 23 premieres on Sunday, March 9 at 8p.m. ET on ABC.