laudia Conway, like everyone else who auditioned on Sunday’s American Idol premiere, wants a golden ticket to Hollywood—but unlike most of her peers, everyone already knows who this teenager is.
Kellyanne and George Conway’s daughter first announced she’d auditioned for the singing competition series in November on TikTok, where she’s gained a massive following over the past year. Claudia’s social media presence has exposed strife within her family, especially between her and her mother, including allegations of abuse. Perhaps that’s why judge Katy Perry asked immediately upon Claudia’s arrival, “Are you okay?”
“No,” Claudia replied. “No but yes.”
When judge and country singer Luke Bryan asked what he was missing, Claudia replied, “My parents are high profile political figures. My mother is Kellyanne Conway. She worked for Trump. And my dad’s George Conway. He worked against Trump.”
“It’s a lot,” Claudia said. “But you know, I only want to spread love, and I love a compromise, and I do disagree with my mom and dad… I had to move to Washington, D.C. when I was 12 and I hated it. When your mom is working for the President of the United States, who you very much disagree with, it’s really hard.”
Claudia’s American Idol visit is a complicated proposition. Given the platform television has already begun to provide former Trump associates to start their rebrands, it seems more than fair to feel conflicted as Claudia takes center stage on ABC. While her association with her parents is not her fault, her presence on the show nonetheless also grants her mother a branding opportunity that reminds us all what got her there in the first place.
Although Katy Perry gets in a few gentle digs at Kellyanne Conway’s expense—like, by asking her daughter, “Does she still hug you?”—Conway also appears on screen as she and Claudia speak virtually ahead of the audition. And in this moment, she plays the warm, cuddly, doting mother.
“This is your time to shine,” Conway tells her daughter. “But remember, honey—winners are people who are willing to lose.”
It’s almost enough to make you forget the oft-worrisome conflicts Claudia has posted to her TikTok.
