ABC/John Fleenor
This season of American Idol has brought a lot of talent to TV screens across the country, and one of the contestants that impressed viewers and judges was Laila Mach, who auditioned with an original song.
Mach was 15 years old at the time of her audition, and she chose to sing an original song that was inspired by Gabby Barrett’s song “I hope.”
“It’s kind of a more angry version of her song, I would say,” Mach told judges Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie and Katy Perry.
Bryan responded, “She’s pretty angry!”
The Judges Said Mach’s Version of the Song Was ‘Deranged’
Gabby Barrett’s “I Hope” is a breakup song that wishes the worst on her ex, and Mach’s song wished even worse on her own ex-boyfriend.
“I hope she’s wilder than your wildest dreams, she’s everything you’re ever gonna need / And then I hope she cheats / like you did on me,” Barrett sings in the original.
Mach’s song is more sinister.
“You treated me like I was somebody, darlin / Felt so good about yourself / and you’re about to hurt somebody else… / I hope you drive off a bridge in the middle of the night / My mind’s broken, so I think I’m not thinking right / I hope you find a girl that you really care for / and I hope she tears up that screwed up heart of yours,” Mach sang.
The song continued, “I hope you feel the same pain that I did feel / back in April when you lied about our love being real / I hope you suffer even worse than I did by myself / and you have nobody to ask for help / I hope it hurts.”
Mach Earned a Golden Ticket to Hollywood
After she stepped back to the middle of the room, Bryan asked her how she thought she did on the song.
“I think that was the best I ever sang that,” she admitted. “I’ve been practicing all week!”
Richie then jumped in, telling Mach that she had had him completely fooled because he thought she was nice and sweet when she walked into the room.
“Let me just give you songwriting props,” he said. “For 15 years old, or any age, that was a good song.”
Perry said the song was more of a “deranged” version of “I Hope.”
“I actually felt really bad because he actually crashed his car two days later,” Mach said. “I didn’t do it!”
Bryan said that she did such a great job being confident during her audition and then feeling good about it after.
“Very impressive,” he said. “Thank you for being here!”
All three of the judges gave Mach a “yes” vote, sending her straight through to the Hollywood round.
“I get more and more jealous of these kids every year,” Bryan told the other judges.
Tune into Hollywood Week, which begins airing on Sunday, March 21, 2021 at 8 p.m. ET/PT, to see if Mach makes it through another round.
American Idol airs on Sundays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.
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