‘I just want to sing.’ Charlotte-Mecklenburg student featured on American Idol

Nyla Martin remembers the days when her cousins would do her hair to the tune of American Idol on the TV.

They’d watch countless stars audition for a chance to secure their golden ticket and do what every contestant who comes on the show dreams of: going to Hollywood.

After watching the episodes, Martin recalls breaking out into song, inspired by her visions of standing in the same place she saw others on TV. But now, for the 17-year-old, these visions are no longer far-out abstractions; they’re her reality.

This month, viewers across the country got to watch Martin on one of the world’s biggest stages and advance toward the goal of becoming the next American Idol.

In her soulful rendition of Aretha Franklin’s ‘Ain’t No Way’ the Charlottean received a unanimous ”Yes” from the show’s star-studded panel of judges: Carrie Underwood, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan. The first installment of the Hollywood round premieres Monday.

While she did not advance past the Hollywood round, Martin said it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Most importantly, it taught her to keep striving toward her goals.

“People say the sky is the limit, but the sky ends eventually, so nothing is the limit,” Martin said. “Just keep pushing yourself. Keep going. Keep pushing yourself to be better than you were yesterday. And that’s what I’ve definitely learned from this experience,”

Music was her journey long before idol

As a kid, Martin would tell you she “kind of” knew how to sing. It was her late father Robert Martin who helped her find her voice.

Robert was a member of the ‘Voices of the Morning Star,’ a local gospel quartet group. He taught Martin the ins and outs of performance and pushed her toward lessons to help hone her craft.

“He’s really the main reason why I even love music, period.” she said.

When she was in kindergarten, her mother enrolled her into First Ward Creative Arts Academy, where she further fell in love with music and theater. In the third grade, she secured her first role in the ensemble as one of Jafar’s guards in the show ‘Aladdin’.

Her parents further encouraged her to pursue music through support to attend competitions and experiences across the country.

At 13, she got her first paid gig for a role in Tosco Music Party, a quarterly live music variety show in Charlotte.

“It was funny, because it was a $50 check,” she said, laughing. “I didn’t cash that check for six months because I would just hold it and look at it. Because it was big. It was really big for me. And from there, you know, the number kind of kept going up.”

As a sophomore, she auditioned and was accepted into YoungArts – a national arts competition for high school students. Stars like Viola Davis, Timothée Chalamet and more have participated in the competition.

And from there, she performed at the Apollo Theater in their “Child Star of Tomorrow” competition, which she won in June. It was a huge moment not only because it was the biggest stage she ever performed on: she was standing on the same stage where some of the greats like Michael Jackson, Beyoncé and Lauryn Hill performed.

“It was the first time I ever felt like I really kind of made it,” she said.

For Martin, being in her element on stage is seeing her voice touch those listening in the audience.

“I’m not gonna lie, there was a point in time where I was singing for the applause. And singing to show off. But that’s not what that’s not what it’s about,” she said. “You sing to relay emotions and convey emotions to other people and to help them feel what you feel. I mean, I love it when people say they ended up crying for my songs. It’s so sweet. It’s like a voice can really cause tears, like it’s crazy.”

For her musical theater teacher Kelly Petrere, Martin’s creativity helps set her apart.

“When it comes to her music. I have never heard her sing a song the same way every single time,” she said of Martin. “She is always playing with things (and) making creative choices. So I’m always surprised at every performance opportunity that she has.”

‘I just want to sing’

After her win at the Apollo, American Idol producers reached out to Martin and asked if she’d be interested in auditioning.

The experience on American Idol was exciting, but it also opened her eyes to the realities of the industry.

It was the first time that she’s experienced constant cameras and filming in a reality TV setting, navigated contractual agreements and experience to criticism real-time as her performances streamed live.

Some days are hard, she said. But her musical theater teachers, Matthew Hinson and Petrere, have worked to help her navigate this moment. They read through contracts with her and even gave her advice on how to cope with being in the public eye.

The day after Martin’s American Idol audition aired, she noticed some negative comments.

“I said, ‘Save yourself the grief. Don’t read the comments.’” Hinson recalled telling Martin “I know what you’re looking for. You’re looking for validation. You don’t need validation from people you don’t know. Do the work. Keep going on your path.”

While Martin did not advance after the Hollywood round, she may audition again next year. Her goal isn’t fame, but keeping music at the center of whatever she does.

“If I can make a living off of doing what I love, then I’ve done enough. I don’t have to be famous, I don’t have to be rich. I just want to be happy and in a mental headspace where I’m okay,” she said. “… Before it was ‘I want to be a famous singer’. Now it’s like, I just want to be a singer. I just want to sing.”

This story was originally published February 23, 2026 at 5:00 AM with the headline "‘I just want to sing.’ Charlotte-Mecklenburg student featured on American Idol."