Makayla Brownlee on ‘American Idol’: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

American Idol is back for the last episode of the auditions for Season 18 of the show tonight, March 15. One of those hopefuls is 17-year-old Makayla Brownlee who auditioned for a chance to get a Golden Ticket to Hollywood.

Brownlee auditioned for Idol judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Brian. She spent time with host Ryan Seacrest during her audition as well, and she’s encouraged to try out for the show by her family.

Brownlee is the second person from the Wichita auditions to be featured so far on this season of the show. Arthur Gunn, another Wichita resident appeared on the show during the premiere and was praised by the judges, earning a Golden Ticket to Hollywood.

Here’s what you should know about Makayla Brownlee:

1. She Was Only Seven The First Time She Performed on Stage

According to The Wichita Eagle, Brownlee was only seven years old the first time she appeared to sing on stage.

That first performance took place during the Kansas Wheat Festival, which is a festival that takes place each year in Wellington, Kansas, where Brownlee is from. The population of the town is around 7,700.

She recalled getting up on stage in front of everyone and singing Miranda Lambert’s “The House That Built Me.”

“I was really nervous,” remembers Makayla. “But once I started singing, I thought, ‘Yes, this is definitely what I want to do.’ I’ve been working for it ever since.”

2. Brownlee Grew Up in a Musical Family

Brownlee’s father, Mark, has been a musician for many years, and he’s performed in a number of local bands. Of Brownlee’s four brothers, two of them are in bands as well.

Because she was growing up watching the men in her family perform in bands and enjoy themselves, Brownlee decided at a young age that she wanted to do the same thing. She learned to play the guitar and keyboard, later singing on stage with the bands her brothers and father were part of.

She eventually branched out on her own and began getting hired to perform by herself at local bars.

3. She Has Tried out for ‘Idol’ Before

Brownlee has been watching Idol with her mother for as long as she can remember. The show began airing in 2002, which was the same year she was born. She told The Wichita Eagle she idolized American Idol winners like Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood.

In 2018, Brownlee was able to audition for Idol producers, but she was only 16 years old at the time. The producers told her to practice and come back the following year, which she ended up doing.

For her initial audition this season, she performed “Creep” by Radiohead and “Travelin’ Soldier” by the Dixie Chicks. Then, she found out she’d be given the chance to sing in front of the celebrity judges.

4. Brownlee Won a Local TV Contest Prior to ‘Idol’

For her audition for the producers of Idol, Brownlee was able to move to the front of the line because she won a local contest that allowed her to do so.

She sent in a video of herself performing “She Used to Be Mine” by Sara Bareilles for the competition, which was hosted by KAKE. There were hundreds of submissions to the contest.

Because she placed in the Top 10 out of the many submissions, Brownlee was one of the top-priority auditions, allowing her to be one of the first to perform in front of the producers who decide which contestants will be moving on to perform in front of the celebrity judges.

5. She Won a $5,000 Scholarship for Bowling in 2014

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According to Derby Informer, Brownlee has won non-singing competitions in the past. In 2014, she won a $5,000 scholarship as the winner of a bowling competition in Rockford, Illinois.

In 2019, Brownlee competed in the Derby Recreation Commission’s 150th Sing-Off Competition. For that competition, she chose to sing the same songs she sang in front of the producers of Idol, performing “Creep” and “Travelin’ Soldier.”

For her win, Brownlee took home a $300 cash prize. There were a total of 17 contestants in the sing-off.

Tune in to American Idol to see if Brownlee makes the journey to Hollywood Week.

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