‘American Idol’ Season 21: Katy Perry Breaks the Rules to Give Single Mom a Second Chance — See Fire’s Emotional, Inspiring Audition
It’s not often that American Idol ends an episode on a “no” audition. In fact, it’s possible that it’s never been done before. But Fire Wilmore and her heartbreaking story were the exception on Sunday, March 19. Katy Perry offered a rare second chance to Fire, a single mom, allowing her to audition for American Idol twice in one season — which is usually against the rules. Check out Fire’s emotional and inspiring audition below and read about how she got there.
Who is Fire Wilmore on ‘American Idol’?
Dani Marie Wilmore, known by her stage name Fire, grew up in Lawton, Oklahoma under state custody due to her mother’s drug addiction. As Fire put it, her life “sucked.” Then, when Fire was 18 years old, she had her daughter, Maja. Fire knew immediately that she needed to give Maja a better life than she had.
Single motherhood hasn’t been easy for Fire. At the time of her audition, she was 22 years old and working as a stripper in Virginia to support Maja. However, Fire knew that she needed to “get away from dancing,” so she turned to American Idol.
Katy Perry broke the rules to give Fire another chance
Fire brought Maja along to her audition on American Idol Season 21 Episode 4. Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, and Luke Bryan let the 4-year-old watch with them as her mom sang Bruno Mars’ “Talking to the Moon.” Her voice had potential, but the judges could tell that she didn’t have much vocal training. Katy encouraged Fire to try the falsetto parts again with her full voice. She struggled to do so, her voice cracking as she hit the high notes.
Lionel, Katy, and Luke enjoyed Fire’s voice. However, they all agreed that she needed more work. Unfortunately, Luke and Lionel said no, rendering Katy’s yes moot. The pop singer told Fire that she would someday find what she was looking for as Fire broke out in tears. In a very emotional moment that seemed almost staged, Maja ran up to the golden tickets and brought one to her mother, forcing Fire to awkwardly tell her to put it back.
Realizing how much Fire needed to go to Hollywood, Katy made a rare decision. She told the single mom that she could come to Nashville in one month and audition again after working on her voice. As Broadway World notes, contestants are generally not allowed to audition twice in one season, but there are occasional exceptions. It’s not the first time Katy made a second chance offer, as she did so last season with Sam Moss.
Does Fire make it on ‘American Idol’?
The American Idol episode ended on a cliffhanger as Fire and her daughter walked off to prepare for her second audition one month later. That audition will air during next week’s installment, on Sunday, March 26. If we had to guess, we’d say that Fire will receive a golden ticket to Hollywood. But will it be a sympathy ticket or will her voice actually improve? Fans will have to watch and find out.
New episodes of American Idol air on Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. Next-day streaming is also available on Hulu.
How to get help: In the U.S., contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration helpline at 1-800-662-4357.
