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The Sunday Blessings Podcast is hosted by Jay Hildebrandt and features stories of faith, hope, and inspiration. You'll hear extended interviews, musician & artist spotlights, and more. Sunday Blessings can be heard weekly on Sundays from 5am-5pm mountain standard time on Classy 97, Sunny 97, and Classy 97 Lite.
Sharing stories of faith, hope, and inspiration. This is the Sunday Blessings podcast. Welcome to this Sunday Blessings podcast. I'm Jay Hildebrandt. Today I interview Paige Anne.
She was a finalist in 2023 on American Idol and we discussed that experience and how faith played a part in it. Congratulations first of all and getting as far as you did there and, for how you made us proud in Idaho Falls. Thank you so much. First of all, describe in a nutshell what the experience was like. I mean, my experience on American Idol was an emotional roller coaster.
It wasn't like anyone else's, and it it was really unique to have such a different experience and make it as far as I did because I got COVID and then I got cut and then I got brought back. And it was it was really crazy to see that I was able to push through stuff like that. Yeah. A lot of ups and downs for a 16 year old to be under that kind of pressure. Yeah.
So on our program, we're looking at that faith based things. And and I've heard some of your your comments about your your struggles there, you know, and and how you felt calm at times and and peaceful. And I'm just wondering if you could share with us how your faith, how prayer, how God, you know, kinda helped you and how how this this all came about. I mean, it's always been, like, a little tradition of my mom and I before I perform to, like, say a prayer. You know?
It's easy and simple and just have that little sense of peace before I go on stage. But what when I got COVID, I was quarantined for 6 days. And so, I mean, I thought I was gonna go home as soon as I quarantined for 6 days. And so, I mean, I thought I was gonna go home as soon as I tested negative, and I thought I was done. Like, I thought my journey on the show was over.
And I was extremely hopeless. And it was like, okay. Who do I turn to? And at one point, I remember my mom saying, like, just say a prayer. You'll be okay.
You just say a prayer. So I prayed and I was still, like, I was just mad about being in my room. And I remember leave the day that I tested negative And then my mom and I left. We left the hotel room because, of course, that was all we wanted to do. And, but the next day, it was filming.
And I remember waking up and just being so excited to be up at 5 in the morning to go travel to Malibu and film Final Judgment, because I knew I probably wasn't gonna get through because I just performed my showstoppers around for my room. And it was really weird because at the beginning of the day, I was really anxious and really excited to be there. But then once I got, like, in the mix, as what they call it, it's just with all the contestants starting the filming process. And once I was sitting in that room, it was really weird because I didn't see my mom for 6 6 hours that whole entire day. I didn't see her until I got cut.
But I just had this weird sense of peace. So, I mean, going through the sing off, everyone says, oh, my gosh. That must have been so stressful throwing that together. And I was like, no. I was having the time of my life.
And, I mean, Megan, the person I did the sing off against, she's religious as well, not LDS faith, but she's Christian. And she was like, Do you want to say a prayer before we go in? And I'm like, Oh, my gosh. Like, this is all meant to be like, it's just crazy that I had someone that would be willing to share that faith with me. And just hopefully we both have that comfort.
And throughout that entire day, I just had peace. It was weird that as soon as I just put it all in God's hands, that I was okay with anything that happened. So when I got cut, I was completely content. And it was weird because I didn't talk to my mom that entire day. So when I saw her after I got cut, she was like, did you get that weird sense of a peace today, too?
And I was like, Yeah, it was it was crazy. But, I mean, god works mysterious ways, and it it was really cool. Yeah. So you attribute that sense of peace to God. Oh, completely.
Because my anxiety can never give me that sense of peace. God had to fix it for me. I was Yeah. It's definitely a different realm. Yeah.
Like, it doesn't feel real. So that did that increase your your faith and and testimony and and just make you a little more grateful? I mean, my whole American Idol journey has really grown my faith in the church because it's just grown my belief and everything happens for a reason. There's no consequences because god has a plan for me, and whatever happens happens, and it's meant to happen. And then I'm on a path.
And so, honestly, when I got cut after I got had COVID, it was like, oh, well, that that was for nothing. And then I got called back, which was really weird because after I got cut, we had that weird sense of, like, it's not over. Promise is not over. Just just trust. And then I got asked to be the alternate.
I was like, well, that's no guarantee. Yeah. And so then I got to go to Hawaii, and I was so in my head about being the alternate because I was, like, well, what if I'm not good enough to be here? But then there was always that constant push of, like, you're here for a reason. Everything happens for a reason.
And so it was just having that it was like having someone by my side saying, I will take care of the hard stuff. You just gotta do what you gotta do. And I've never been one to be very spiritual, but this journey definitely has grown that side of me to be like, okay. I can rely on someone other than myself or my mom. Yeah.
That's neat. So I I remember seeing you sing that song, but I don't know if I say something, I'm giving up. I mean, what's what's the official title of that one? Say Something by a Great Big World. Yeah.
And, I mean, I I don't know if I've I've really ever felt such emotion and connection and passion with a song. Tell us about that. I mean, you were in tears. Why why did that happen? Well, the reason I was crying was because when I got called to be in the top twenty, I didn't think I would make it through.
And so, Wayani, she's one of the contestants still on right now, but she actually had to turn to me and be like, Paige, you gotta go sing. Like, you gotta go. And I was like, oh, okay. Because I I was just, like, frazzled. And so then they started playing my edit.
That was the thing they played before I performed. And it was just walking through my entire journey on the show. So it walked through when I got a note from Katie at my audition, and it showed me crying at my first round of Hollywood week. And then it showed me getting through to duets, and it showed me getting COVID and then have to perform for my room, and then it showed me going to final judgment and getting a no from Luke. And it just saying, okay.
Your American Idol journey ended. And then it was in the interview, I was talking about how when I was little, like, if I was able to see where I'm at today, it would have made everything worth it. And so I even get choked up talking about it now because it's just it was like I'm so proud of myself. Like, I didn't think I would be able to make it through this, and I'm standing behind this mic singing because I just made the top twenty. And people voted me here.
And so it was just I was just overwhelmed with gratitude. And so, vocally, that performance, I still look back on it. I'm like, wow. Vocally, it wasn't there. But the reason there was so much emotion was because I'm not a crier.
But as soon as I just was overwhelmed with that gratitude and just probably the spirit that that's the only way I can describe it because I was just I couldn't control it. It was just tears were streaming out of my eyes. And I was trying to just sing through the song. But So it was because of the gratitude. Just how thankful you were.
What what were you so thankful for again? I was just so thankful for the fact that I had the opportunity to do something like that and that I anytime that I was I was cut. I mean, I was cut once. And it's really degrading when you feel like you're not good enough to be somewhere. And so when you feel like in this competition, I was never feeling like I was competing against other people because I thought they were better than me.
It was always competing against myself because I wanted to be better, and then I wanted to prove to myself that I was good enough to be in this realm of just such amazing people. And so when I was standing behind that mic, I mean, it was like, woah. I just made it here. How? You know?
But then it was, like, just, again, that sense of peace and just, like, I was just overwhelmed with, like, the just pure joy, but, you know, crying Yeah. Happy tears. And then I got off stage and I just cried more. And, I mean, it was just because I was just proud of myself, thankful for anyone who voted for me or even that I just have God on my side. Yeah.
Yeah. And you had a lot of support from family and friends and, and your mom was with you every step of the way there. You know, it's gonna be Mother's Day a week from Sunday here. Tell me how you feel about your mom and what what the support she was through all this. My mom has been my biggest supporter throughout my entire musical career in general.
And so I think it's funny whenever whenever I sing on the show, they always have the camera right on her because she's just crying. But, I mean, she's gone along this journey with me. And, I mean, it's been an emotional roller coaster for the both of us because the morning of duet, she actually tested positive for COVID. So before I tested positive, she tested positive. And so I remember her being really upset that she couldn't watch my duet and that she couldn't be there with me because, again, she's just been on this ride with me.
And so I'm just really thankful to have someone that's, again, always on my side. She's always been there being my main, like, supporter. Yeah. And so having her standing next to me, it's like, oh, well, I have a cooler mom than you because, you know, she's just stood next to me through all this even though I'm not the most pleasant human at times because, you know, I get frustrated and I get dramatic. And you're a teenager.
Yeah. You know, being a teenage girl is hard. But, I mean, she's just always been there and supported me. And, I mean, she's promoted me more than any person. Yeah.
And it's just it's crazy to think that I was just blessed with such an amazing mom like that. Paige Anne, thanks so much for visiting with us today on our Sunday Blessings podcast. Before you go though, would you favor us with an acapella rendition of 1 verse of one of your favorite songs. Amazing grace. How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost, but now I'm found who was blind, but now I see. Beautiful. Thank you. Is there with all you've been through, is there anything in the message of that song that maybe speaks to you more than before? Or is there Well, honestly, like I was saying earlier, I usually wasn't that spiritual of a person.
And so it was really weird to have that side, like, shown. Like, it it was it was weird to be, like, okay, wait. This is weird feeling, like, I have somebody that's guarding me that's not I can't see them. You know, It it was weird because I've never really had that feeling before. And so having that sense of peace, it was just it was very calming.
It was it was it's so hard to explain that I was just like, okay. Whatever happens happens, and I'll be happy about it. Like, I'm just gonna have the best time I possibly can. So even the day that I got eliminated in the top twelve reveal, I mean, I woke up that morning with that same piece and it was it was weird because then I wasn't nervous at all for my performance and I was just dancing even after they told me I didn't make it through and I had to sing for the judges pick. Like, I was like, okay.
And I sang, and then I went and I sat down, and I was dancing the entire time. I was up on my feet cheering for everyone else. And so it's just weird having that. Yeah, everything's gonna be okay and everything happens for a reason. You've been listening to a Sunday Blessings podcast.
I'm Jay Hildebrandt. Thanks for joining us. Thanks for listening to the Sunday Blessings podcast. If you enjoy the show, please share, subscribe, and rate the podcast. Sunday Blessings is hosted by J Hildebrand and is a production of Riverbend Media Group.
For more information or to contact the show, visit riverbend mediagroup.com.