RHOSLC's Britani Bateman Crashes Niece's American Idol Audition

The reality star joined her niece Carmen Lorell Martin's performance, helping her earn a Golden Ticket to Hollywood Week.

Feb. 3, 2026 at 3:23pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Britani Bateman, a cast member on The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, surprised the American Idol judges by crashing her niece Carmen Lorell Martin's audition. Britani introduced Carmen to the judges and then joined her in a duet, which ultimately helped Carmen advance to the next round of the competition.

Why it matters

This is not the first time a famous relative has joined a loved one during an American Idol audition, as it highlights the show's ability to bring families together and provide a platform for emerging artists. Britani's appearance also shines a spotlight on her own musical aspirations, as she has been pursuing various singing projects outside of her Bravo reality TV fame.

The details

During Carmen's audition, Britani interrupted the proceedings to announce that Carmen was her niece. Britani then sang an operatic version of Carmen's nickname, 'Carmenlita,' before asking the judges if they were familiar with her own work. When the judges did not recognize Britani, she shifted the focus back to Carmen, who went on to perform 'Thought It Was Love' by Ty Meyers. After that initial performance, Britani joined Carmen in a duet of 'Let Me Be Your Star' from the TV series Smash, which impressed the judges and ultimately earned Carmen a Golden Ticket to Hollywood Week.

  • On Monday, February 2, 2026, Britani Bateman crashed her niece Carmen Lorell Martin's American Idol audition.

The players

Britani Bateman

A cast member on The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City who has also pursued various musical endeavors, including the release of a Christmas EP in 2024 and a cabaret show in New York City in 2025.

Carmen Lorell Martin

Britani Bateman's 20-year-old niece who auditioned for American Idol and earned a Golden Ticket to Hollywood Week after performing a duet with her aunt.

Luke Bryan

One of the judges on American Idol.

Lionel Richie

One of the judges on American Idol.

Carrie Underwood

One of the judges on American Idol.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“The only way to put you in a brawl is to say yes so you can go to the next level and meet the rest of this crazy class and you'll understand what this means.”

— Lionel Richie, American Idol Judge

“Britani has always been a very big mentor to me to get out there. She has her own spotlight. She's living out her dream, and that's why I'm here too.”

— Carmen Lorell Martin

The takeaway

This appearance by Britani Bateman on her niece's American Idol audition showcases the show's ability to bring families together and provide a platform for emerging artists, while also highlighting Britani's own musical ambitions outside of her reality TV fame.