UPDATE: Republican Scott Brown wins the Massachusetts Senate seat over Democrat Martha Coakley. I posted a couple of videos of Ayla from last night.
Scott Brown, father of Season 5 Top 24 contestant, Ayla Brown may take the senate seat once held by the late Ted Kennedy in a special election being held in Massachusetts today.
The conventional wisdom held that the Democratic candidate, Mass Attorney General Martha Cloakley would easily take the seat, but it’s not turning out that way. The race at the moment is extremely tight, and could go either way.
You might remember Ayla.
Many assumed the high-achieving contestant, whose father was a Massachusetts state senator and her mom, a well-liked local Boston news anchor was a shoo-in for the Top 12 Season 5. She could sing for sure, but her stiff, serious stage manner, and the perception (unfair, that girl obviously worked hard) that she was a spoiled kid with a silver spoon in her mouth did her in.
Ayla was shut out of the Top 12 during the last week of the semi-finals when Melissa McGhee came out of nowhere to take a spot in the Top 12 (Melissa was eliminated the following week at 12)
These days, Ayla plays basketball on scholarship for Boston College, has released two albums of music, and sings at various functions around town here in Boston.
Of course, she’s been helping her dad on the campaign trail. She was campaigning with him over the weekend in Worcester. Clips of Ayla belting Aretha Franklin’s “Respect” could be seen on various newscasts in the area.
The last time a Republican senator was elected in Massachusetts was November 1972, when Edward Brooke was elected. A Brown win would make history.
Listen to Ayla talk about her Dad, who used to sing Elvis Presley songs to her when she was little. After, she sings Natasha Beddingfield’s “Unwritten”. It was her swan song (It could have been those goucho pants! Yikes). Plus, she sings “Reflection”.
Unwritten
Reflection
Ayla announces that Martha Coakley conceded the race–calls it for her Dad, breaks into song
Scott Brown “jokingly” tells the audience that his daughter Ayla is “available”
