McKenna Breinholt Shares Her Adoption Story & Sings Her Birth Mother's Song! - American Idol 2024

- How are you? - We're ok. What is your name? McKenna Breinholt. I'm 25. And where are you from? Gilbert, Arizona. Is your family into music? No. In fact, I was adopted when I was born. My family doesn't have any musical talent. I found out I was adopted as soon as I could understand it. My mom struggled for several years trying to get pregnant and finally they decided to go through the

adoption

process. I have the best family in the world. They have always supported me. When I turned 21, I sat my parents down and asked them to tell me any information they had about my

birth

mother

.

I just wanted to know where I came from. They told me that her name was Amy Ross López and that she had died. She was a musician who had performed locally in Bisbee, Arizona, just a few hours away. It was a lot to process. But I instantly knew where I got my ear and where I got my voice. Everything fell into place. Do you have an online album? He has some, yes. Some albums? Yes. Do you hear it? Yes I love it. Do their voices sound the same? - Yes. - Isn't that crazy? Yes. And just this last summer, I came into contact with my entire biological family and discovered that they all sing.

My biological family has been looking for me for probably the last eight years. Knowing that I have another family that is equally excited to know and love me was incredible. You haven't met or... Not in person, but we talked on FaceTime. Okay, FaceTime. We will meet in about three weeks. Oh. Yes. We are excited to hear you sing. What are you going to sing for us? I'm going to sing "There was Jesus" by Zach Williams and Dolly Parton. - Go ahead, okay. - Good. I'm playing the piano. And you play the piano, wow. Brilliant. Every time I tried to make it on my own Every time I tried to stand out I start to fall Now those lonely roads I've traveled down there was Jesus She's going to meet some members of her family who are still there: her aunts she. and an uncle and a grand

mother

.

Yes, and in a couple of weeks we had tickets to go to Montana, but what she doesn't know is that we brought them here tonight. And then... She doesn't know and they're here? No. Yes. Is that this group here? Yes. Yes. Are you here with McKenna? Yes. Well, this is mind-blowing to me. Hello hello. You do not have to say anything. I can see it in your face. (SINGING) And the searching and the healing and the pain Like a blessing buried in the broken pieces Every minute, every moment where I've been and where I'm going Even when I didn't know or couldn't see In the mountains, in the valleys, oh , in the shadows of the alleys Oh, in the fire in the flood, was Jesus When the waiting and the searching and the healing and the pain Like a blessing buried in the broken pieces Every minute, in every moment where I've been and where I'm going I go Even when I didn't know it or couldn't see it, Jesus was there.

Very good. Very good. That was beautiful. That was wonderful. Thank you. You have a lot of control of what you are doing. You are in control of being at the piano and you are in control of the singing. I thought it was awesome. Yes. Narration, smoky voice and I love crying. Thank you. --the little cry in your voice that just cut through. That's great. Okay, let me find your mom. Amy. Yes. The name of her band is Nowhere Man and a Whiskey Girl. Yeah. It's like... - The Nowhere Man and the Whiskey Girl. - Nowhere. And a whiskey girl.

Yes. She was a wild child, but she is a cool girl. It's going to be like seeing her, a beautiful ghost, a beautiful angel. Only she is going to be alive and I am going to catch her. Do you want to invite your family to the final judgment? - Yes ok. - Why not? - Of course. That would be great. - Yes. Yes. So can I go look for them right now? Sure? - Yes, bring them. - Alright. - That's good. They want you to come for this. Ah, what happened here? They are here. That? My biological family is here.

Your biological family? Your biological family? What just happened? I just said go find your family. Wait. Look to you. What just happened? I just said go find your family. I don't know. I don't know. I opened the door and they were standing there. Oh. OK, can I have the Lopezes on the right? Wow, what... Lopez on the right. That? And the Breinholts on the left. Yes. I want to touch you. I link my arms. Oh no. I feel like... I feel like we have to give them an hour and then come back. - Time, right? You all want to go, so yes. - A few days. - That would be great. - I'm so... - Wait, wait.

So you... Wait, wait. Wait. Look at her. Is she crying? - Wait. - No Yes. I'm not crying, you're crying. That profile. I know. Does she look like Amy? Could you play any of your mom's

song

s for them? Yes. No. Yes, I do. - Let's do it. - Let's do it. You do? I haven't rehearsed it, but... Full circle. I've been playing it. Knitted on the Idol set. Wow, look at this. What

song

is this? Come come. It's called "tumbleweed." "Tumbleweed?" You did. (SINGING) The saddlebags have long been packed For the drifting journey north The trails narrow to backtrack coming and going The next four seasons the Rocky Mountains will be for our little tumbleweed.

It's hard. (SINGING) Bound to a plan, not a man Tumbleweed whistles in the wind Her eyes in the night are big and bright Deep in the heart of Tumbleweed McKenna, you've got to be kidding me. Thanks for letting me do that. Celebrate. Does it sound the same? Oh, it's like a ghost. Oh Lord. So beautiful. McKenna, that was beautiful. But music is connection, music is emotion, music is heart. You're not the only person looking for her

birth

family. There are hundreds and thousands and tens of thousands that are watching this right now and me too, me too, you know?

And it's wonderful to have them all together. And it's wonderful for your... your mom and your dad to see this and be so open and loving and understanding about it. I'm sure there was a great loss for his birth family. And that you sing like that, I think it's healing. Yes. Oh my God, yes. You have no idea. Yes, thanks. Thanksgiving is going to be big. It's going to be incredible. It's going to be big now. Well, I can vote. I... I... I'm so ready. I am a yes. Thank you. McKenna, Amy Ross López told me to say yes.

Well, I couldn't help but say yes. It's an absolute yes. Yes, thanks. You go to Hollywood. Thank you. A piece of my heart, man. Oh. I love you. I love you too. Hey, go and get to know yourself. Absolutely. Absolutely.