Breanna Nix Turns American Idol Stage into a Place of Worship
Viewers first met American Idol Season 23 contestant Breanna Nix during the auditions — and her introduction was nothing short of heartwarming. Accompanied by her husband Austin, who played piano, and their young son Emerson, Breanna delivered a stunning rendition of Carrie Underwood’s “Jesus, Take the Wheel.” As Breanna sang, little Emerson sat with Carrie, eventually dozing off, moved by the calming sound of his mother’s voice. The emotion of the moment overwhelmed Carrie, bringing her to tears.
The judges were equally touched by Breanna’s performance. She earned three resounding “yes” votes and a Golden Ticket to Hollywood.
In the Showstopper Round, Breanna delivered a powerful cover of a Kelly Clarkson classic that left Luke Bryan with “full body chills.” Her soulful voice and heartfelt delivery carried her into the next phase of the competition.
During the head-to-head duet round, Breanna teamed up with IAMKNOWN to perform Brandon Lake’s worship anthem “Gratitude.” Their spiritually charged performance drew another emotional response from Carrie, who praised them for their bravery in openly expressing their faith on national television.
“I want to win souls,” Breanna later shared — a mission that’s become evident in every step of her Idol journey.
“Ladies, Riley, Breanna,” Carrie said after their performance, “I want to tell you how difficult it is to come into the entertainment industry and bring your faith with you. It is a brave thing to do because there are a lot of outside forces that are gonna tell you not to do that. I want to tell you that I’m proud of you guys.”
Breanna’s boldness and authenticity paid off — she advanced into the Top 24 and flew to Hawaii for the next round at Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa.
For her Hawaii performance, Breanna again stayed true to her roots, choosing to sing “Still Rolling Stones” by Grammy-winning Christian artist Lauren Daigle. Originally released as a promotional single in 2018, the song gained widespread popularity and climbed to #4 on the US Christian Songs chart.
Breanna’s rendition was passionate and powerful. The first note out of her mouth had grit and conviction, grabbing the attention of both the crowd and judges. As she sang, hands lifted in the air, and all three judges stood up mid-performance.
Carrie praised her immediately:
“Breanna, that first note out of your mouth was like a growl — you’re like, ‘I’m here.’ That was amazing … so much power, so much heart behind it.”
Luke Bryan was equally moved:
“I mean, if anyone has ever picked the right song, that is your deal. The confidence you embodied — it was like watching Adele in her zone. You truly owned that moment.”
Lionel Richie brought it home with energy:
“You brought something into this whole competition. You’ve been leading by bringing more and more of your faith into being. And I love the way you just came out onstage, put your foot down, and killed it.” He then called on the crowd to shout, “Amen!” — and they did.
Breanna Nix isn’t just competing on American Idol — she’s using the stage to worship, to inspire, and to shine a light through music. And by the looks of it, her light is only getting brighter.
