Like mother, like daughter! Nearly 14 years after Nadia Turner turned heads on American Idol, her daughter is ready to follow in her footsteps.
“I don’t know who was more shook! Me or my mom, @nadiacturner? 😂,” season 20 contestant Zaréh Isa wrote via Instagram on Saturday, March 19. “This is such a surreal experience and I’m so happy I got to share this with her. American Idol is in my blood!”
In a sneak peek of the Sunday, March 20, episode, the 21-year-old Florida native auditioned for judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie — and Nadia, 45.
“My connection is [that] my mother was on American Idol. Her name is Nadia Turner,” Zaréh told an astonished Ryan Seacrest in the Saturday clip. “When I was about 4 years old, my mother was on season 4 of American Idol and she got to Top 8. She does not know that I’m auditioning for American Idol.”
Nadia, who appeared on the competition in 2005 alongside winner Carrie Underwood, had no idea that the fashion stylist had booked an audition or that she would be in the room for the big moment upon her arrival in the clip of the upcoming episode.
After the Miami native’s blindfold was removed and the shock wore off, she watched in awe as Zaréh performed Jazmine Sullivan’s “Bust Out Your Windows” for the judges.
“So my beautiful daughter @styledbyzaza did a thing!…(um without telling me😳),” Nadia wrote via Instagram on February 27. “As American Idol celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, life has brought me full circle in this journey called life. Tune in to the show and enjoy this legendary season of @AmericanIdol AND see if my babygirl got the golden ticket. SOOOooo much to share but my lips are sealed for now😀.”
Zaréh opened up to the judging panel how “fashion is her passion” and praised her mom — and her entire family — for supporting her career ambitions, noting how “happy” she was to have Nadia standing in the room during the audition.
“For the first time on American Idol, the handkerchief goes to your mother,” the “Hello” crooner, 72, told Zaréh after the song ended. “You need this, Mom. If you [could have] seen your mother while you were singing, she’s crying but she’s also gyrating. There’s a word called pride: Mom was blowing up over there.”
The “Firework” musician, 37, and the country singer, 45, were equally blown away by Zaréh’s number before she earned a coveted ticket to Hollywood and the show’s next round.
American Idol airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
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