Why Everyone Is Talking About Claudia Conway's American Idol Audition
For being only a teenager, Claudia Conway sure knows how to make headlines. In a large part, this is thanks to her high-profile political parents. Her mother, Kellyanne Conway, served as a senior counselor to former President Donald Trump. Meanwhile, Claudia's father, American lawyer George Conway, went the opposite direction, taking a strong anti-Trump stance and co-founded the Lincoln Project, a group of Republicans who worked to prevent Trump's re-election, per USA Today.
The political division led to domestic upheaval in the Conway house, and Claudia, who has a growing following on TikTok, announced on social media in August 2020 that she was seeking emancipation from her parents. In fact, according to the New York Post, it was shortly after Claudia declared her intentions that Kellyanne announced she was stepping down from Trump's team to spend more time with her children.
Not long after, in November 2020, Claudia announced on TikTok that she was auditioning for American Idol. It certainly was a big deal and, in February 2021, American Idol featured Claudia's appearance in a promo clip for the show. Finally, after months of anticipation, Claudia's audition aired — and there was a surprising cameo appearance, too!
Kellyanne Conway showed up for her daughter
Claudia Conway was a big part of the American Idol premiere, which aired on Feb. 14, 2021, according to People. Despite conflict with her mom, Kellyanne Conway made a virtual appearance to cheer on her teenage daughter. "Claudia! Are you getting ready to go, baby? Are you excited?" Kellyanne asked in the clip. Her daughter said, "Yeah, but I'm really nervous."
"You should be nervous, honey," Kellyanne replied. "It's a very humbling experience. Do you know how many people like you when you were a little girl until now dream of even having the opportunity to audition for American Idol? This is your time to shine. Remember honey, winners are people that are willing to lose."
During the audition, judge Katy Perry asked Claudia, "With your mom being the figure that she is, do you still, does she still hug you?" Claudia answered honestly, "Yeah, she loves me and I love her. I just feel like our relationship, it's a little iffy."
While judge Luke Bryan was on the fence about Claudia, Perry and Lionel Richie voted in her favor. After Claudia got the happy news, her dad, George Conway, joined her in a clip shared to the American Idol Twitter account. "This is our little girl," he said smiling. "She's doing something really great." What a cool moment for Claudia — to be so brave in the face of continued scrutiny and have her parents support her in a big way.