Jill O'Rourke
Jill O’Rourke is a contributor at Talent Recap, writing news stories and recaps for shows like ‘AGT,’ ‘The Voice,’ and ‘American Idol.’ She graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in English and Film Studies, and has been writing about pop culture since 2012, with previous bylines at Crushable and A Plus. Jill spends her free time binge-watching sitcoms and daydreaming about life as a hobbit
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| May 1, 2022 SIGN IN TO SAVE POST
ABC/Eric McCandlessReading Time: 2 minutes
Emyrson Flora is officially in the Top 10 of American Idol Season 20. At 16 years old, Emyrson is the youngest contestant left in the competition, and the judges are consistently amazed by the maturity of her talent.
‘American Idol’s Emyrson Flora Taught Herself to Play Piano
Emyrson is from Cleveland, Ohio. Her musical influences include Adele, Taylor Swift, and Olivia Rodrigo. She’s sung both Adele and Rodrigo on the show. Could a Swift song be in her future if she makes it past Disney Night?
The singer told Billboard that she’s loved music ever since she was a kid, when she would hear a song and sing it for the rest of the day. She also made up songs while pretending to play a ukulele she got in Hawaii.
When Emyrson was 8 years old, her parents bought her a piano. As she explained, “I never watched YouTube videos on how to play piano. Somehow I was able to pick up the keys.”
Emyrson doesn’t have much musical training at all, aside from some School of Rock virtual classes she took for fun during the pandemic. She’s also signed up to take choir at her high school for the first time this fall.
“Music has always been a part of my life since I was super young,” she said in an interview. “It was just something I kept to myself.”
SEE ALSO: ‘AMERICAN IDOL’ DISNEY NIGHT LINEUP REVEALED, WHAT WILL THE TOP 10 BE SINGING?
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Emyrson Has to Keep Up with Her Schoolwork During the Show
Emyrson told Billboard that she was initially “a bit intimidated” to be competing against older singers, but she tries to “learn as much from these people as I can.” She also works with a tutor during her time on the show to keep up with her schoolwork as a junior in high school.
“My teachers are emailing me work and I’m doing it when I have the free time,” Emyrson said. “But I’m living the dream so I can’t complain. Not a lot of 16-year-olds get the opportunity to do this. I’m very lucky and I’m very grateful.”
Emyrson frequently posts on TikTok, and she recently shared a snippet from an original song she wrote between working on schoolwork. She’s also posted covers of songs lie “Tennessee Whisey” and “Creep.”
Watch Emyrson perform as part of the Top 10 this Sunday during Disney Night, and get ready to vote.
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