Is American Idol 2026 frontrunner Hannah Harper the next Dolly Parton? When the Missouri native performed Vince Gill’s ballad “Go Rest High on That Mountain,” judge Luke Bryan said, “Gosh, there are so many parallels with your voice and Dolly. It’s just so beautifully country.” The slow burn number is so stripped back that Hannah really had to step up to the plate and let her voice really soar to pull it all off, and she certainly achieved that.

Hannah performed the ‘90s Vince favorite on March 10 for the Ohana round in Hawaii. The Music Man has to say that the story behind her song choice was a bit of a heartbreaker. She picked the ballad to honor her late grandpa, Pawpaw Lew, as it was his favorite song. Hannah’s grandma was there in the audience for the performance, and seeing her emotional reaction to the song really pulled on the heartstrings.

Hannah’s Idol performances have consistently been fan favorites. Her Ohana round appearance was no exception, as it drew 257,000 views on YouTube. Viewers were impressed with her cover, and added comments such as “Her tone, her tone, her tone. She has that star quality with it” and “I don’t comment except when a contestant just stuns me with a vocal like hers. Every time she gets on stage and sings, I get the chills coursing down my skin. She, and her vocals are timeless, authentic, and just beautiful country.”

Hannah has actually tried her hand at Dolly Parton’s music, as she performed “Jolene” for a session at The Acoustic Shoppe. She sounds so authentic and gorgeous singing Dolly here. The Music Man has a feeling that we might just be hearing a Dolly cover from Hannah at some point in the season. With how much of a natural she is singing Dolly’s songs, it’d be a great showstopper to pull out for a pivotal performance, for example, to clinch the finale.

Hannah spoke about her song choice for the Ohana round, saying that she was really excited to get the chance to honor her grandpa. She said, “He was a patriarch. So many branches of talented people that came from him.” The Missouri singer added that Pawpaw Lew played music “until the day he died.” Pawpaw Lew was the backbone of the family’s bluegrass and gospel band. Hannah said that his legacy made a strong impression in her life, and that she hoped “to do the same for my kids.”