Emmy Russell Told Grandma Loretta Lynn She Was ‘Proud’ of Her Ahead of ‘Coal Miner’s Daughter’ Performance on Idol

“It was just a jaw drop moment,” Katy Perry says of Russell’s performance on Monday, April 29

Emmy Russell is proud to be a coal miner’s great granddaughter.

On Monday, April 29, Russell took the stage and performed a rendition of her grandmother Loretta Lynn‘s hit song “Coal Miner’s Daughter” on American Idol. Speaking to PEOPLE in a group interview, Russell opened up about embracing her roots and singing a song so close to her heart on the competition show.

“I would always run away from my family and just not want to be a part of it. And I think this was the first time that I said, ‘I’m proud. I’m proud to be in this family ’cause with the family comes a blessing, but with it comes a curse,” Russell, 25, says.

She adds, “I think just closing my eyes and telling her, ‘I’m proud of you.’ I did that in rehearsal. I was like, ‘I’m proud of you.’ I want people to feel proud of their story, where they’ve come from, and I hope that that song made them feel like, ‘Oh, I can be proud of where I come from.’ I’m just really grateful.”