Getty Laci Kaye Booth
American Idol Season 17 contestant Laci Kaye Booth is one of the final three females left in the competition, and winning the show is something the 23-year-old from Livingston, Texas has dreamed about since she was 7. “I was obsessed,” she said. “My mom actually has some home footage of me watching American Idol, pointing at the TV. It’s been an absolute dream of mine. I was obsessed with Carrie Underwood when I was younger, I voted for her actually.”
Booth was born with music in her veins. Her father, Jody Booth, is a touring country music artist. The two were estranged for much of her life, but she reconnected with her dad eight years ago when he invited her to come record with him in Arkansas. Through music, they were able to begin rebuilding their relationship and regularly perform together.
While rumors swirl online as to whether or not Laci’s underwent plastic surgery, no one is questioning her talent as a vocalist, and this guitar-playing country singer is a front-runner to win American Idol. As Laci battles it out in the Top 8, she has her mother, Priscilla Cockrell, who had her when she was 15, and boyfriend, Cannon Bullock, on hand for support.
Here’s what you need to know about Laci Kaye Booth:
1. Laci Does Look Similar to Kylie Jenner
Laci Kaye Booth (L) and Kylie Jenner
Laci is a beautiful young woman, and ever since she made it the Top 40 on Idol, her comments section on Instagram flooded with compliments and comparisons to Keeping Up With the Kardashians star, Kylie Jenner. With the bold lips, tanned skin, lash extensions, and platinum blonde hair, there are many obvious similarities between the two.
But the looks department is also where the comparisons end. While Laci might’ve gotten lip filler, her eyebrows professionally done, and numerous spray tans, none of that takes away from the fact that she’s an incredibly talented singer. Like many country stars before her, ahem, Dolly Parton, she’s boosting her looks in a way that makes her happy as a performer, and at the end of the day, that’s all that really matters.
2. She’s Dating Boyfriend Cannon Bullock
Laci has an estimated 140,000 followers on Instagram and many of her photos feature boyfriend, Cannon Bullock. And no, he is not related to The Blind Slide Oscar winner, Sandra Bullock.
The couple have been dating for a little over a year, and Cannon looks like her biggest fan as he watches his girl compete on Idol. On his Instagram, he captioned a photo “When I’m with you, hours feel like seconds. When we’re apart, days feel like years.”
3. Laci’s Stepfather Lives in a Barn
Before performing one night on Idol, Laci mentioned that she was 5 year sold when mother Priscilla met her stepfather, and she was told that he lived in barn. “The first time my mom took me over there, I remember looking at her, like, he lives in a barn? Like, what? But it was the most amazing place I could have had a childhood at. Sixty acres of nothing but creeks and ponds, and it was beautiful.”
Laci also has a younger brother, Luke, a little sister, Bailey, and keeps her renewed relationship tight with her birth father, singer Jody Booth.
4. Her Cover of Cheap Trick’s ‘I Want You to Want Me’ Left Viewers in Awe
Some contestants are front-runners right from the get-go, and while Laci was clearly talented, after making it to the Top 20, she sang a cover of Cheap Trick’s “I Want You to Want Me” that left both viewers and all three judges gobsmacked. Performing live from The Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles, Laci transformed the classic rock joint into a heartfelt country ballad.
Judge Luke Bryan voiced many viewers thoughts when he said, “When I saw the song you were doing, I was like, ‘Oh, God, she’s going to come out here and do some kinda cheesy version of a fast song,’ But then when you came out and hit that easy note, I was like, ‘No, she ain’t! She’s fixin’ to knock it out of the park.'”
5. Country Star Brett Young is a Fan
During the duets portion of the Idol competition, Laci was paired with country music star Brett Young, and together, they sang his break-up ballad, “Mercy.” In the interview before their performance Young said, “Laci has this very smoky, interesting voice that almost looks like it doesn’t come out of her, but once it does, it also seems so natural.”
If the main judges were somehow teetering on Booth before, this performance sealed their confidence in her as a star performer. Lionel Richie said, “It was so believable. I actually thought I was watching a serious love affair on that stage because it was delivered so well.” Katy Perry said, “From the moment you walk onstage, you sprinkle stardust everywhere. I thought I was watching something on the Grammys, like Best New Artist. I don’t want to play favorites,” she added, “But fill in the blank.”
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