In her heartfelt performance of Bonnie Raitt’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me,” 20-year-old cosmetologist Elleigh Marie of American Fork, Utah, won over viewers and judges alike on American Idol 2024. This young artist has the potential to become the next big thing in the United States, as her performance revealed her inner talents and aspirations.

After hearing Elleigh’s hometown, the judges were taken aback. Luke Bryan said that the town must be quite patriotic, and with a name like American Fork, Utah, it’s easy to see why! The judges, however, took a shine to little Elleigh after discovering that her parents are in the air force and that her mother is a singer. As she stepped into the realm of professional music, her performance was moving, sincere, and a manifestation of her inner strength. Below, you can find the video:

We get some background on Elleigh’s family before she performs. She goes into detail about the difficulties of caring for a sick mother while her father was away in the air force. Elleigh had a lot of responsibility for someone her age, what with her mother having renal and thyroid diseases and her father being abroad on duty. Even if she is a stronger person because of this, it is sad that she has had to go through so much.

Aside from being one of Bonnie Raitt’s most popular songs, “I Can’t Make You Love Me” is also a stunning example of female-led American blues. The legendary songs “Love Me Like a Man” (1971) and “Angel From Montgomery” (1974) are among the many that the singer-songwriter has released since 1971. Everyone can find something they love on her tender, roots-inspired albums. Watch the video down below to hear it for yourself: