You’ve heard of Chappell Roan’s “Pink Pony Club” — now get ready for the “pink Penny club.”
Sunday night’s episode of “American Idol” introduced viewers to Penny Samar, a Pennsylvania singer who arrived to her Season 23 audition with a support system of over 15 friends and family members. Samar’s crew supported her by wearing matching pink shirts that read “pink Penny club,” a nod to the Chappell Roan hit that Samar would perform during her audition.
Even “Idol” host Ryan Seacrest joined the fun, donning one of the tops and saying “I feel like I fit in.”
But the judges had mixed reactions to Samar’s notably theatric rendition of “Pink Pony Club,” which she delivered with bold facial expressions.
“You have a beautiful voice,” judge Carrie Underwood said. “I felt like there was a little too much sauce in the performance.”
She added: “You emote a lot, and sometimes I think it might be best to dial back a little bit, because it was a little distracting from how great your voice is.”
Judge Lionel Richie voted not to send Samar to Hollywood, but Underwood and fellow judge Luke Bryan ultimately granted the singer a coveted golden ticket.
“This means the world,” Samar said. “Nothing could be better than this right now.”
