Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Genavieve Linkowski of Goodrich, Mich., auditioned for American Idol Season 18

And since American Idol has leaked her audition, we know she earns a unanimous golden ticket to Hollywood following a performance of “How am I Supposed to Live Without You” at piano.

Genavieve dedicates the performance to her late sister Corinn, who was 18 when she died in an icy car crash last February.

In the emotional clip the show released, Genavieve talks about how the thing she misses most is singing with Corinn.

“I didn’t know how do life without her,” Genavieve tells Idol. “I always did life with her.”

What the clip doesn’t cover is the fact that Genavieve released a single called “Beautiful Tragedy” about a week ago, on the anniversary of Corinn’s death.

She wrote the song with Libby Van, Zac Guir and Dominic Reggio. Tommee Profitt produced the track.

Explains Genavieve: “One year ago today, my beautiful little sister was pronounced dead. Some friends and I sat down in the hospital after the fact and wrote this song about all the graces God gave us and all the beautiful things that came out of her passing in the midst of our pain. I hope to explain in detail one day about what those things were, but for now, here’s a little glimpse.”

Here’s more about Genavieve:

* We met her during the Season 16 auditions. The oldest of 10 children, she talked about having to put her music dreams on hold for a while to help take care of the family when her mother suffered from heart failure.

* She played piano and dazzled the judges with a performance of “I Won’t Give Up on Us.” She not only got a unanimous golden ticket to Hollywood, Lionel Richie said she reminded him of Celine Dion.

* She advanced to the final 77 that season, but was eliminated when the judges reduced the cast to a Top 50.

* After her Season 16 journey ended, she told local media she had started working on original music and was hoping for a career in Christian music.

* She and Corinn were also performing and posting YouTube videos together as Haven Avenue. They were even considering trying out for America’s Got Talent as a duo, according to Michigan Live.

* Genevieve writes about the loss of Corinn, her “closest friend in the whole world” in a poignant, year-ending social media post. She also posted a cover of Hillsong’s “New Wine” over the summer in reaction to the loss.

* She announced her return to Idol on Jan. 16. “It’s not something I knew I would do again. But one day I got a call. I prayed over it. I talked to my parents. I talked to a lot of people. I kind of just came to the conclusion that this is just another opportunity for God’s light to shine, for my sister’s light to shine, and for me to just share my story,” she added. “If I get to do that, I’m all in. If I get to point others to Jesus, then that is what I’m all about.”

* Now 21, Genevieve is from Goodrich, Mich.

* Oh, and in the leaked clip, Lionel compliments Genavieve on her growth as a performer and predicts she’ll go much farther on Season 18 of American Idol.

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