HunterGirl Reflects on ‘American Idol’ & Powerful Message of ‘Red Bird’ Single

Scott Fishman May 26, 2022, 10:02 am

HunterGirl may have not been crowned American Idol, but the runner-up still feels like she left Season 20 a winner. Judge Luke Bryan saw Top 10 material the first time he heard the country singer-songwriter, and the platinum ticket holder was one of the most popular and consistent contestants right from that first audition.

HunterGirl came polished and prepared thanks to years of gigging at county fairs and bars (her business degree probably didn’t hurt, either), and she made the most of the stage each week. Now, with Idol in the rear-view, the pride of Winchester, Tennessee, opens up about the whirlwind experience.

You put in so much hard work and no doubt paid your dues well before Idol.

HunterGirl: It has been a long road. I’ve been playing shows since I was 14. I always knew I wanted to do music, and knew I had to work really hard. My family had two or three jobs growing up. I was raised in that hard-working mindset. I can’t believe all the stuff that has happened. Little Hunter would lose her mind if she saw her life right now.

Was there any point in the process where you felt especially down?

This competition was probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Getting to have Luke there to cheer me on meant everything. I’ve looked up to him since I was a little girl. There were moments when you are down, worried, or scared. We’re learning songs on the fly with a band, then we’re on TV. I do remember [during Contestant’s Choice week] I was really nervous and scared about getting the songs right. It was just a lot. [For finale week] we were running on no sleep to get everything done. It has been a nerve-wracking experience. It was cool to get to this point because I didn’t think I would make it past the Nashville audition.

ABC/Eric McCandless

You not only made it to Hollywood, but you were also the first to be presented with the platinum ticket. I can see how that could be a double-edged sword considering the extra pressure that must have brought.

I’m always my biggest critic, trying to get better as I go along. It was crazy when they gave me the platinum ticket—I couldn’t believe it. There is pressure that comes with that, but it was overwhelmed by [the judges’] belief in me. My entire life, I wanted someone to see me and know that I wanted to do music. To have that meant a lot. I wanted to make them proud for giving me it in the first place.

What were the best pearls of wisdom you received?

We had so many great mentors. The one I was so excited and terrified to meet was Carrie Underwood. I’ve loved her for a long time and watched her on Idol. To see how far her career has gone made me think I could do this one day. She has shown so many little girls what was possible. She just told me to believe in myself. She said it was hard work, but you’ve got to keep pushing on. She gave me that confidence boost going into the final two weeks. She made me feel like I was good enough.

ABC/Eric McCandless

Your single “Red Bird” continues to rise up the Billboard charts. How does it feel to see people respond to its powerful message?

When I was little, my mom always told me if I saw a red bird, it was a sign from Heaven that someone is looking down on you. I was driving home from the watch party for the first episode of Idol—the one I was on. I was scared to death: “People aren’t going to like me.” “I’m going to sound bad.” All the things you think about yourself. I was talking to God on the way home. I was like, “Can you let me know it’s going to be okay?” A red bird flew in front of my window when I was driving down the road.

That’s where I got my idea for the song. I never thought the song would reach so many people. The reason I do music is to help other people. It’s why I work with veterans. I was so happy to sing that song on television because there may have been somebody sitting at home missing someone who passed away and needed a reminder that they were still there.

What were your highlights of the season?

Getting to sing with Luke in the finale was such a full-circle experience. It was so fun. It marked a year’s worth of work on American Idol. To have that moment with him was really cool. Getting to sing “Baby Girl” by Sugarland in front of my parents meant a lot because of how much they supported me. I’m going to remember all these moments for the rest of my life.

What is the origin story of the name HunterGirl?

My last name is Wolkonowski. Kindergarten was hard. In my hometown, nobody could pronounce my name. Nobody still can. The lady at the front office would say, “The girl Hunter. Hunter girl, come to the office.” There would be all the talent shows where I would be the only girl. There would be boys with the name Hunter. They would say “Hunter girl.” It kind of stuck as a nickname.

What do you see for yourself now that all these doors have opened up?

I want to put out new music. I want to go out on tour. I want to sing songs. I want to say thank you to everyone who supported me through this entire year. I want to hear my song on the radio. I would love to play the Opry one day. Doing all these things I’ve dreamed of my entire life.

ABC/Eric McCandless

Did anyone reach out that you were surprised by?

I’ve been looking at my inbox losing my mind. The one that really hit me really hard is Martina McBride sent me a video of her cheering me on. She has been a huge influence on my life and country music. To hear that from someone I looked up to was a big thing for me.

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When you found out Noah Thompson won, how did you process the news?

I was really proud of myself. I was so happy that I made it through this experience. I was so proud of Noah. Life is so short, so I believe you should do what makes you happy. I felt I was showing the world who I am as a person. It was great to go out singing “Red Bird,” which was a huge part of my heart. The finale was a celebration of what happened in the past year.

Who is your dream collaboration?

I’ve looked up to Dolly Parton since I was a little girl. I would love to get to meet her, write a song with her, and sing with her. I’ve looked up to Reba McEntire my entire life. I’m just taking it one day at a time. I’m excited about the future. I’m going to have a lot of songs to write after this past year.