The 12-year-old little girl sat in on her sister's audition.
Athena Jett found the perfect cheerleader in her 12-year-old little sister, Angelina. The American Idol hopeful appeared on the show during Sunday's audition episode, bringing her sister in to give judge Katy Perry a hand-crocheted purse for her 3-year-old daughter, Daisy Dove, which she said took "a few months" to make.
"She's gonna love this. She loves a purse," Perry assured Angelina of her little girl.
The judges then invited Angelina to stay for her sister's audition, which proved to be lackluster. Athena, 20, sang "Somebody New" by Sophia James, and while it brought her sister to tears, the judges weren't exactly on board.
"People are out there fighting tooth and nail, so I am worried about putting you in the ring. But there is something…," Perry began before Athena's sister, Angelina, meekly chimed in.
"I'm so sorry, can I say something? I don't want to be barging in or anything," Angelina said. "I remember for a piano recital my sister sang 'Never Enough' from The Greatest Showman. I really think that was a really good song that she sang. I'm so sorry."
The judges then gave Athena the opportunity to sing the second song and she wowed them with her powerhouse vocals. Perry leapt out of her seat, picking up Angelina and spinning her around the room before declaring, "Good job! You're gonna come to Hollywood too."
An emotional Perry then burst into tears, declaring, "This is why we do this show."
Perry admitted to the contestant that prior to the second song, she was going to reject her, but because of her sister's suggestion, she would be moving on to Hollywood.
"Athena, you were a hard no, but whatever just happened showed me something that I think even surprised yourself," she said. "What the hell was that? That was phenomenal. You have to use that. That is your sword."
Fellow judges Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan also voted to move Athena on to Hollywood, with Bryan giving Angelina her props.
"I never imagined a kid your age being able to ask permission and step up. That is a big, big thing you just did," he told her. "One of the most impressive things I've ever seen a kid do."
The judges then had Angelina bring the golden ticket to her sister, telling her she was going to Hollywood.
American Idol airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
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