Carnie Wilson joins daughter Lola Bonfiglio for surprise ‘American Idol’ audition
Lola Bonfiglio is holding on to her chance at becoming the next “American Idol.”
The 19-year-old singer-songwriter, who just so happens to be the daughter of Carnie Wilson and niece of Wendy Wilson — two-thirds of the pop trio Wilson Phillips — made her “American Idol” debut March 23.
Lola Bonfiglio, who sang a cover of her mother and aunt’s hit song “Hold On,” released in 1990, earned her “golden ticket” to Hollywood after making it through the audition round.
But she received a little help from her family in the process.
As her mother and aunt helped with the harmonies and her father, Rob Bonfiglio, played the guitar, Lola Bonfiglio earned a “yes” from all three judges — Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie.
“I don’t know how to proceed right now,” Underwood joked after the Wilsons walked into the audition room. She proceeded to mouth the words to the song as the trio sang.
“You can tell that is a thing with family,” Underwood said to the group. “It’s like everybody’s genetically designed to just sound good together.”
After Carnie Wilson admitted to liking Lola Bonfiglio’s voice better on its own, Underwood asked her to sing another song — a cover of Kacey Musgraves’ song “Rainbow.”
Richie said she has everything she needs to sing well, while Bryan praised her for the “tone and the pureness and the quality” of her voice.
“But this competition’s going to require you to belt, too. And kind of let loose a little bit, fill up the room a little more and using your dynamics,” Bryan added. “But you’ve got a really, really beautiful voice.”
Underwood enjoyed the “honesty” in Lola Bonfiglio’s “voice” and “presence,” but wanted to see the young singer “own (her) talent” and give “everything (she has) to offer.”
“If I’m on this show, I will push myself,” Lola Bonfiglio said to the judges. “That’s why I want to be on ‘American Idol.’ I want to grow.”
After the audition, Carnie Wilson — who had tears in her eyes while her daughter sang “Rainbow” — took to Instagram to share a photo of her daughter surrounded by family as she held up her golden ticket.
“Her pure beautiful voice shines so bright!!!!!” Carnie Wilson wrote in the caption.
“To witness your child be brave like that and sing from her heart...and have three incredible artists tell her that her voice is pure and gorgeous ...shows us that her love for singing is what it’s all about,” she added.
The audition comes two months after Lola Bonfiglio posted a photo of herself on Instagram in front of an “American Idol” sign. In the caption, she told fans to “tune in on March 23rd to see my results.”
On March 23, after the episode aired, Lola Bonfiglio posted an update on her journey thus far.
“So beyond excited to share this adventure with you all. thank you for your kind words and support,” she wrote in a caption alongside a photo of her leaving the audition room.
“Don’t miss a beat – keep tuning in to @americanidol on ABC and watch my amazing idol friends and me follow our hollywood dreams!” she added.
Carnie and Wendy Wilson — the daughters of Beach Boys singer Brian Wilson — formed the pop trio Wilson Phillips alongside fellow singer Chynna Phillips in 1989.
The group was nominated for four Grammy Awards and took home the Billboard Music Award for Hot 100 Single of the Year for their hit song “Hold On” in 1990.
Carnie Wilson welcomed Lola Bonfiglio with husband Rob Bonfiglio in 2005, per Us Weekly. They also share a second daughter, Luciana, born in 2009.
This story was originally published March 24, 2025 at 4:12 PM with the headline "Carnie Wilson joins daughter Lola Bonfiglio for surprise ‘American Idol’ audition."
