Before Ronda’s impressive version of “One Night Only” from Dreamgirl, Lionel handed her his handkerchief, so when his tears came, he had to wipe them away with his hands. Ronda picked this particular song for her audition because it had been performed by former Idol contestant Jennifer Hudson in Dreamgirls, the only musical Ronda had seen as child with people of color, so Jennifer was someone she greatly admired. “I was doing really well until you came in and did something no one else has done tonight, which is touch me to the point of making me cry,” Lionel told her when she finished. “Every once in a while, life happens and you figure, ‘How do I get out of this situation?’ and God provides a crack in the wall, just a crack. Every other crack has been there forever, but that crack is just enough for you to get through. My, dear, you just found that crack, because that is the moment that will change your life. It is a yes for me.” “Music has been all of our saving graces,” said Katy, pointing to Lionel, Luke, and herself. “You don’t have to be strong, you just have be on, and that will take you all the way. I am a yes.” “That was a big performance, but I have a big ol’ feeling it is not your best performance to come,” Luke told her. “Yes.” Ronda was so excited by winning the golden ticket to Hollywood, she ran to bring her mother into the room to share the news. Knowing that mom—Jereatha Jones—is also a singer, the judges asked, “Is there a song of celebration?” And to Lionel’s surprise, that song was “Zoom” by the Commodores. “I personally love that song. I love the way it makes me feel,” Jereatha said. And Lionel explained its origin: “When I wrote that song, I was deeply troubled because I didn’t know where I was going, so if I’ve touched you in any way…” “You have,” Jereatha said. “You’ve given me the greatest gift ever,” Lionel told her. It was tough times for Ronda growing up. Jereatha was a single mom with no money, despite the fact that she worked multiple jobs. “We were homeless,” Ronda recalls. “We had to live in shelter’s and often on people’s couches and in cars, so it was pretty tough, but I had my mom, so it was okay. By the time I hit high school, I had hit 12-15 schools. I know at times she felt she failed as a parent, but she did anything that helped us survive and just kept us going on.” Jereatha’s advice to her daughter had always been, “Get up and fight. Never stop fighting,” which Ronda took to heart. “I am here today because I want to succeed. We’ve been through a lot and I feel like it will change our lives forever. She sacrificed, she fought so I can be anyone I want to be.” American Idol airs Sunday nights at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC. Next, Is Katy Perry Pregnant Again?
