McKenna Breinholt’s Emotional Reunion with Birth Family on American Idol
During her American Idol audition, 25-year-old McKenna Breinholt from Gilbert, Arizona, shared her touching adoption story and her recent discovery of her birth mother, Amy Ross Lopez, a singer who had passed away. McKenna’s performance of “There Was Jesus” by Zach Williams and Dolly Parton moved the judges.
After her performance, judge Katy Perry invited McKenna’s family into the room, leading to a surprise reunion with not only her adopted family but also her entire birth family, whom she was meeting for the first time. The emotional encounter brought everyone to tears, with judge Lionel Richie expressing disbelief at the unexpected turn of events.
Katy Perry then asked McKenna if she knew any of her birth mother’s songs. McKenna performed “Tumbleweed,” a song by her mother, as her newly found family gathered around her. Her grandmother remarked that McKenna’s voice was eerily reminiscent of her mother’s, likening it to “a ghost.”
Watch the video below to witness McKenna Breinholt’s heartfelt audition and the surprise reunion with her birth family on American Idol.