The 21-year-old musician from Chicago, performed an original song “Saturday Morning,” which she wrote while her daughter was in the hospital fighting for her life, and Althea realized all the mundane things she would miss doing with her daughter if she died. “I love the tone of your voice,” Luke told her. “Where you’re navigating in the heart of your range is almost like Stevie Nicks quality. I like your voice” Not surprisingly, Althea revealed that Steve Nicks is her favorite musician. Lionel, who agreed that Althea was reminiscent of Stevie, added, “The hardest part in this business is to have a unique voice that cuts through. You have a cut-through voice, but I think you really need to be confident in yourself. But I think you have something to work with. I really do.” “I empathize with what you’re going through,” said new mom Katy. “I can’t imagine it. But I need you to fight for this. I know you’re shy and I know it’s scary. It’s really frickin’ scary. You have to have that fire. Take everything you’ve been through and make it into fire every time you sing.” Needless to say, Althea walked away with three yeses and a golden ticket to Hollywood. Althea’s roller coaster ride to motherhood began when she discovered she was pregnant, but she was 7 months along at the time! That just left her with two months to prepare for the birth of her daughter. Then eight months ago, Lennon went into liver failure and the doctors told Althea, her daughter only had a few days to live. “They told us she would have to have a transplant in order to live,” Althea shared. “She was on life support on dialysis in a coma. I don’t think it was until one of her doctors looked at me and said, ‘I don’t think I can do this. I don’t think I can save her,’ it felt like a piece of me was going to die if she died.” Althea felt hopeless. She told Lennon she loved her, and no matter what, it was going to be OK, but she didn’t really believe it. Then the miracle happened. “Six days after her diagnosis, we got the call that they found the right liver for her,” Althea said. “It was an absolute miracle that gift of life that she was given. She is the best part of every day and I would not change a thing about her. The fact that she was able to pull through what she’s been through is why I’m still pushing for my dreams.” American Idol airs Sunday nights at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC Next, Watch the ‘Unbelievable’ American Idol Contestant Who Lost 200 Pounds Before His Audition
