“Two Standing Ovations and a Heart Full of Praise” — Just weeks after placing third on American Idol, Breanna Nix lit up the Grand Ole Opry stage with a soul-stirring debut that left fans sobbing and sparked a frenzy online after her husband’s emotional reaction stole the spotlight. As she belted her No. 1 hit “Higher” and the worship classic “Goodness of God,” the crowd rose not once—but twice—swept up in a wave of holy fire. With her son watching wide-eyed and Rylie O’Neil singing backup, Breanna didn’t just perform—she testified. What did her husband say that has everyone talking?
“Higher,” the single she released with the show’s record label partner, 19 Recordings, debuted in the number one spot on Billboard’s Christian Digital Song Sales, Forbes reported. And on June 5, 2025, she wowed the crowd in her Grand Ole Opry debut, receiving two standing ovations.
Breanna Nix Says Grand Old Opry Debut Was Among ‘Favorite’ Moments of Her Life
Following Nix’s performances of “Higher” and the worship song “The Goodness of God,” the Opry’s social media team posted photos of her onstage and wrote, “American Idol sensation, Breanna Nix, just stunned the crowd for her Opry debut earning TWO standing ovations! 👏 Congrats on your Opry debut, Breanna!”
Nix’s proud husband, Austin, who attended with their four-year-old son Emerson, replied in the comments, “THATS MY GIRL!!! God gets the glory!! She is superwoman y’all! I am so proud of her”
In a separate post of photos from the special evening, Nix wrote, “GRAND. OLE. OPRY. What an absolute dream come true. ♥️ Thank You, Jesus, for this incredible opportunity—for Your faithfulness and grace in my life. I wouldn’t be here without it. All Glory to God. ❤️”
The singer from Denton, Texas, continued, “Thank you @opry for letting me step onto such an iconic stage, surrounded by so many AMAZING people. Wow.🔥 This moment is going down in the book of favorite memories—forever.”
Nix had a familiar face backing her up on vocals. Rylie O’Neil, a contemporary Christian singer who was Nix’s duet partner during Hollywood Week on “American Idol,” has become Nix’s close friend and sang backup vocals for her at the Opry
Fans Swooned Over Breanna Nix’s Opry Debut, Posting Videos Online
As of June 6, the Opry had not uploaded video footage of Nix’s debut, but fans who were in the audience shared footage from her performance and how blown away they were by it.
Nix shared some of them in her Instagram Stories, including one clip over which the audience member who posted it wrote, “I don’t watch tv so I had no idea she was on American Idol but WOW! Love her voice and her song ‘Higher’”
Another shared a video and wrote, “What a voice! Congratulations on your Opry debut, @breannanixmusic!” and another attendee wrote over their video, “The presence of God was undeniable”
Fans also flooded the comment section of the Opry’s post, including one who wrote, “I listened live online and even though I couldn’t see it live, I knew immediately that she had received two standing ovations! Love you @breannanixmusic and I have been a fan since I saw her audition also. I think she is the future of Christian Country Music!”
It’s been a busy week for Nix. On June 4, she performed at the 19 Recordings/BMG Takeover with nearly a dozen fellow “American Idol” alums. And on June 6, Nix was a surprise judge at the first-ever in-person “American Idol” auditions at CMA Fest, sharing a video as she waited for the next contestant to come in, hoping to make it through to Hollywood for season 24.
