Those on the American Idol journey are headed this week to Hawaii's Disney Aulani Resort in Hawaii, to compete in the Top 40 Showcase Round. This particular trek includes the tough “green mile”, in which the participants present themselves in front of judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie to see if they have made the latest cut.

The youngest contestant of the night, 16-year-old Riley Thompson, took the stage confidently with a rather unexpectedly adult tune for someone of such a tender age, Miranda Lambert's "Mama's Broken Heart."

Making the performance even more interesting is the fact that Thompson is a self-admitted ordinary teen. "Back home, I'm just a regular kid," Thompson explains. "I play volleyball and I cheer. You know, just a normal kid in high school." Despite this, she managed to power through a distinctly adult composition, even managing to throw some conversely airy vibes into the famously teeth-gritting anthem.

"I've been wanting to do this ever since I was 4," added Thompson. "I had my first solo in daycare, and that's when I knew, like, this is what I wanted to do."

Judge Bryan had some doubts about her ability to sing at a "high, high level," and noted that she'd need to work on that "fast...fast." However, though, he did term her America's "country sweetheart," which is just about the sweetener anyone needs to expedite a solution to any particular pesky technical issue.

Ms. Thompson, needless to say, got passed through to the Top 20, which had her squealing, "Getting that 'Yes' was amazing. It's like all my dreams came true.

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