Mattie Pruitt experienced an unforgettable moment on American Idol this week, both personally and professionally. Her encounter with guest mentor and country star Miranda Lambert began with heartfelt excitement. “I wanted to cry,” Pruitt admitted when meeting Lambert — an artist she’s long admired.
That emotional energy only grew during Sunday’s “Ladies Night”-themed episode, where Pruitt chose to perform one of Lambert’s most poignant songs, The House That Built Me. The tribute wasn’t originally intended for the stage; Pruitt had only planned to play it for Lambert privately during rehearsal.
“I learned this song in my bedroom with the guitar and I thought it’d be cool to play it for you,” she shared with Lambert, explaining the personal connection she felt to the track. But Lambert, recognizing a deeper story behind Pruitt’s choice, encouraged her to bring it into the spotlight.
A Vulnerable Performance From Mattie Pruitt That Struck a Chord
“I want you to let Mattie fully shine through,” Lambert told her. “I’ve been watching you and I feel like I haven’t gotten to know exactly the whole Mattie yet, and I want to see her.”
Taking that advice to heart, Pruitt decided to perform The House That Built Me on the live stage — stripped down and intimate, armed only with her acoustic guitar and raw emotion. Her decision resulted in a deeply moving performance that stirred tears not just in herself, but in Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambert as well.
The judges were quick to acknowledge the emotional gravity of the moment.
“You held your emotions perfectly, and we felt every moment of that performance,” Lionel Richie said with admiration.
Carrie Underwood echoed that sentiment. “We were hanging on every single note, every single word,” she said. “That was really quite brilliant, and towards the end, I’m just trying to hold my own tears in.”
From the sidelines, Lambert was visibly emotional, wiping away tears as she watched Pruitt reveal her full artistry. “I wanted to see you, and I saw the full you,” she told the young singer after the performance.
Pruitt’s powerful showing not only won hearts but also earned her a place in the competition’s Top 8. She will return to the stage on Monday night, participating in a new challenge during the “Judge’s Song Contest”-themed episode.
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