American Idol 2023 Top 26 contestant Hannah Nicolaisen performed a lovely rendition of Pink’s “Glitter in the Air” on the Disney Aulani stage in Hawaii as part of the Night 2 performances which aired Monday (April 17). But she was noticeably raspy and hoarse on the high notes. In an Instagram post, uploaded after the voting window closed, the singer revealed that she was even sicker than she seemed.
After her performance, judge Lionel Richie asked about her vocal issues. “I’ve been very sick,” Hannah confessed. “We’re just riding these waves.” He sympathised with her, having experienced being ill ahead of important performances. “What a way to fight through it,” he said.
In her session with guest mentor, Noah Cyrus, Hannah revealed that she quit her job and got engaged. Her fiance, Matheus, traveled to Hawaii with the singer. Although Hannah was all smiles during her mentoring session, there was much more going on behind the scenes.
Hannah tested positive for COVID and only landed in Hawaii two days before her performance
“Lionel mentioned I was a little sick,” Hannah wrote on Instagram. “The day before I was supposed to fly to Hawaii, I tested positive for Covid for the first time since the pandemic. I thought for sure my journey was over, but my symptoms did not affect my voice terribly.” She continued, “I was able to safely quarantine, and fly out just 2 days before the performance.”
“I believe things always happen for a reason. I only spent 2.5 days on the island in total which made me so grateful for every second I got to spend in this beautiful place. Thank you to the team of people who made sure I was safe, prepared and taken care of. Thank you to @krispooley and the band for being so flexible and creating this stunning arrangement!! Thank you to @noahcyrus for your kind words and mentorship.”
Hannah recently got engaged
She ended with a special thank you to her fiance Matheus, “I am so excited to share this life with you. Thank you for helping me learn about myself, for supporting me, for being my safe place and my light,” she wrote. “When I saw the American Idol link for auditions, I almost didn’t click out of fear, but you gave me the confidence I needed. When I was unsure of my song choices, you reminded me of my purpose. I’m so glad we have this memory in Hawaii forever now. I could not have made it this far without you, eu te amo.”
Hannah is a star volleyball player
Hannah is not only a singer, but a star volleyball player as well. She played at the Division 2 level for the University of Illinois, Springfield. She learned a lot from sports, but music is her dream. Her grandfather is from Denmark.
American Idol: Hannah Nicolaisen, Warren Peay Make Chemistry
Her outstanding audition aired on the special VERY late-night post-Oscars telecast, which could have affected how many fans saw her initial appearance. She impressed the judges–Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan–with a cover of Bob Dylan’s “Make You Feel My Love.”
“You just spiked the ball in our face!” joked Katy. “You need to start the engine girl.” Lionel added, “Your unique voice is what we pray for in this business.” Luke said, “You were definitely born to sing.”
Fans will find out if Hannah made the Top 20 on the Sunday April 23 episode at 8 pm ET/PT on ABC.
