A single mom auditioning for "American Idol" got a second chance at stardom thanks to an emotional moment she shared with her nearly 4-year-old daughter.
Fire Wilmore, a 22-year-old singer from Oklahoma, opened up about her difficult life journey before auditioning for the show's judges — Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie — on the March 19 episode of the ABC singing competition.
The contestant, whose stage name is Fire, revealed that she was put into state custody as a child because of her mom's struggle with drug addiction. She became pregnant at age 18 with her daughter, Maja. Now working as a stripper, Fire explained that she wanted to find a new career path and provide a better future for herself and Maja.
“The world’s not designed for single moms to be successful, so I did what I had to do,” she said. “And I need to do better. I need to get away from dancing. I need to do this for me. I need to do this for my daughter.”
Fire auditioned with Bruno Mars’ “Talking to the Moon." Though all three judges noted promise in her singing and gave Fire helpful notes, only Perry voted to send her to Hollywood for the chance to compete on the show.
"You've got something there. I just think that it hasn't been worked out enough," Perry told Fire as Fire struggled to hold back tears.
"It's going to be OK. It is. There's always beauty. There's always light in the darkness. Somehow, someway, you will find what you came looking for," Perry added.
That's when Fire's adorable daughter came to her side to cheer her up. Maja grabbed a golden ticket from a nearby shelf and sweetly handed it to her mom. “I think I found this!” the little girl announced.
Fire gently rejected her daughter's gift, telling her, "Go put it back."
The heartbreaking moment inspired Perry to offer Fire a second chance to audition for the judges in Nashville in a month. "That’s where you’re going to show us what the fire is, OK?” Perry told her. “I know you didn’t name yourself that for nothing.”
Fire vowed that Perry would not regret the offer.
“I’m not just somebody that’s just been through a lot of stuff,” she said in an interview afterward. “I’m working hard. And I need it. I need to change my life. I don’t want it. I need it. I’m going to put in everything I got.”
Viewers were blown away by Fire's story — and by Perry giving the singer a second chance.
"When Katy gave Fire another chance I just cried. Fire deserves another chance. She has a beautiful tone. Hopefully, she’ll come back better and stronger and knock the song out of the ballpark," one wrote on YouTube.
Another viewer commented, "God Bless you Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, Luke Bryan and Fire and her little girl as well. I started tearing up when Katy hugged her. She has a good voice, good luck to her! I hope she makes it."