Genevieve Heyward auditions for season 24 of American Idol. Photo by Disney/Eric McCandless.
When Genevieve Heyward first received a direct message from an American Idol crew member on Instagram, encouraging her to audition, she thought it was a scam.
“There’s no way,” she recalls thinking. “This isn’t real.”
Turns out, it was very real. Heyward’s audition aired on ABC to an audience of millions on Jan. 25.
From the very beginning of her singing career, people have told Heyward to bring her talents to the masses through Idol, but the crew member’s Instagram message gave her the push she needed to finally give it a try.
“When somebody that’s at the level of one of the most-watched singing TV shows ever reaches out to you, it feels very good,” she said. “It felt like all the hard work paid off.”
Musician Genevieve Heyward. Submitted.
Despite now living in Nashville, Tennessee, Heyward considers herself “a very proud Wisconsin woman,” having grown up in Lake Geneva and started her music career in Door County.
Heyward has visited the peninsula since she was a baby, making trips to her parents’ cabin on Washington Island. When her parents moved to the peninsula full-time after her high school graduation, Heyward decided to join.
She described the local music scene as incredibly influential to her development as an artist.
“The music scene in Door County 100% changed my life,” she said.
She stays close with musicians like pat mAcdonald of the Holiday Music Motel and Steel Bridge Creative Foundation and bassist Greg Roteik, who guided her early in her career.
Heyward continues to visit Door County, not only to see her parents, but to play shows at venues like MUSE Sturgeon Bay, Peach Barn Farmhouse and Brewery, and Stone Harbor Resort. She also participated in the return of Steelbridge Songfest last year.
She moved to Nashville a few years back because she felt it was a challenge she was ready to take on.
“The one thing with Door County is it’s easy to be a big fish in a little pond,” she said. “I was kind of ready for that next level.”
Musician Genevieve Heyward. Submitted.
Living in Nashville has helped Heyward come into her own and find her sound, she said. She’s evolved from country Americana to bluesy soul to indie pop-rock, where she finds herself now.
“I feel most myself when I’m playing that kind of music,” she said.
This sensibility is reflected in her American Idol audition song choice, “Magic Man” by Heart, a powerful woman-led rock tune that requires impressive vocal control to sing.
Celebrity judge Carrie Underwood complimented Heyward’s ability to make the song her own, saying, “I want to hear more.”
With yeses across the board, Heyward will be moving on in the competition.
As nerve-wracking as the audition process was, Heyward had a ton of fun. The entire crew was accommodating and tried to make the experience as enjoyable as possible, she said.
Heyward hopes to show off her goofy, energetic personality in addition to her vocal talents. Auditioners style themselves, giving them the chance to showcase a bit of their personality, she said. Heyward’s short black dress with translucent sleeves that show off her tattoos gave “women of rock” vibes all the way.New episodes of season 24 of American Idol will premiere on Monday nights at 7 pm Central Time.
Catch Genevieve Heyward in Sturgeon Bay
Genevieve Heyward is one of the headliners for Love on Holiday: Songs of Love and Love Gone Away on Friday, Feb. 13, at 7 pm at MUSE Sturgeon Bay, 330 Jefferson St.
For this concert of live, original songs, musicians first “spin the bottle” to form songwriting teams, then spin again to be paired with original visual art that serves as inspiration for new songs.
Tickets cost $20+ per person (pay-what-you-can) and can be purchased at steelbridgecreativefoundation.org.