Carnie Wilson slams online trolls over daughter’s ‘American Idol’ audition

Carnie Wilson has fiercely defended her daughter, Lola Bonfiglio, after online trolls criticized her American Idol audition. Speaking at 90s Con, the Wilson Phillips singer expressed her frustration over the backlash, calling out the cruel comments directed at her 18-year-old daughter. “The internet can be so cruel,” she said. “It’s really pissing me off, and I can't respond.”

Lola auditioned on the March 23 episode of American Idol, performing Kacey Musgraves' Rainbow and later joining her family, including her father, musician Rob Bonfiglio, to sing Hold On. While some praised her performance, others accused her of using her family's musical connections to secure a spot on the show.

Carnie dismissed the criticism, arguing that talent should not be discounted based on family ties. “Would you encourage a doctor’s son not to be a doctor? No. Would you ever say, ‘Don’t be a doctor because your dad’s a doctor’?” she said. “Lola wants to be a singer, and they say these terrible things. She was so hurt.”

Reflecting on her daughter’s experience, Carnie shared how nerve-wracking the audition was for Lola. “It was the scariest thing she’s ever done. She was trembling with nerves, and she did great,” she said. Despite the negativity, she remains proud of her daughter and grateful for the opportunity to support her on stage. “I'm so proud of her… We crashed the party, and I don’t think Lionel [Richie], Carrie [Underwood], and Luke [Bryan] knew we were going to be there, so that was fun.”