Baylee Littrell, the son of Backstreet Boys member Brian Littrell, performed a heartfelt ballad titled “Hey Jesus” during Hollywood Week on “American Idol.” The song, which brought Baylee’s parents to tears in the audience, reflects his journey of rediscovering faith during a difficult time in his life.
In his remarks about the song, Littrell shared, “I wrote this song when I was going through a pretty tough time in my life. I lost somebody I loved. … My grandma was my best friend. With my dad being away on tour, she would always step in. She understood me like not many people do. My grandma passed away three years ago, almost.”
He elaborated that the loss of his grandmother made him question everything and led him to push away his faith, stating, “I thought I would not find it again. This song kind of helped me find it.”
The lyrics of the emotional song include: “Hey Jesus/ I broke my wings again/ could you help me up one last time old friend/ oh cause I surrender everything to you/ Oh, I've tried to fight all my battles without you by my side/ in the dark depths of the night/ it's where I've been without your beautiful light/ oh you gave me wings to fly/ Hey Jesus.”
The performance received a standing ovation from fellow contestants and praise from judges Carrie Underwood and Lionel Richie. As a result of his performance, Littrell advanced to the Showstoppers round of Hollywood Week.
Brian Littrell, a devout Christian, has frequently used his platform to express his faith. In 2006, he released a solo Christian album titled “Welcome Home,” which peaked at No. 74 on the Billboard 200 and No. 3 on the Christian charts, selling over 100,000 copies. In 2015, Brian and his wife, Leighanne, were baptized in the Jordan River during a tour of Israel.
Recognizing the importance of faith, Brian Littrell has been open about his desire for his son to establish a strong spiritual foundation. He told to CBN in 2006, “I want [my son] to have the best life that he can have. I want him to know God.”
He added, “I think God has always held me accountable to a certain standard; growing up, family, faith, and my religion have always been the most important things in my life, and it's never been compromised, I would have to say, on behalf of the secular world of the music business.”
