American Idol’s Top 7 Pay Tribute to Their Moms in Emotional Mother’s Day Episode
The competition continued to heat up on American Idol Season 23 during the May 11 episode, as the Top 7 contestants performed two songs—one Disney-themed number under the guidance of mentor Lin-Manuel Miranda, and another dedicated to the women who raised them in honor of Mother’s Day.
Breanna Nix Honors Her Mom—and Motherhood—With “Like My Mother Does”
One of the night’s most emotional performances came from 25-year-old Breanna Nix, who delivered a moving cover of “Like My Mother Does,” originally released by Idol alum Lauren Alaina in 2011.
The performance hit especially close to home for Breanna, who is a mother herself. Viewers were first introduced to her sweet family during her Idol audition, where her son Emerson famously fell asleep in Carrie Underwood’s arms while Breanna performed “Jesus Take the Wheel.”
This time, Emerson and Breanna’s husband watched proudly from the audience as she poured her heart into Alaina’s tender tribute to maternal love. Holding back tears, Breanna reached the final note of the song with grace and vulnerability, visibly touched by the moment.
Judges Moved by the Performance
Carrie Underwood was visibly emotional, wiping away tears and confessing, “I might cry during every one of these.” Luke Bryan praised Breanna’s continued vocal strength, saying she “keeps delivering.”
Lionel Richie offered a powerful piece of wisdom:
“The best note you can hit is an emotional note called the tear. Once you hit the tear, you’ve got everybody in the room.”
He added simply, “That was fantastic.”
America Agrees: Breanna Moves Into the Top 5
The touching performance clearly struck a chord with viewers as well—Breanna Nix was voted into the Top 5 by the end of the night.
Her journey on American Idol continues, and after such a heartfelt performance, she’s emerging not just as a contestant, but as a storyteller with heart.
Watch Breanna Nix’s emotional rendition of “Like My Mother Does” in the video below.