Why, Yes, the Judging Panel for Heather Gay’s Choir Includes an American Idol Alum
ICYMI: Heather Gay is looking to put together a group for her new choir, and fans may recognize one of her judges from American Idol.
On Season 3 of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, Heather Gay is trying to put together a choir, but not everything is in perfect harmony when it comes to the rest of the ladies.
In Episode 6 (“Finsta Fight”), Heather got a tour of the Alliance Theater, which is where she later held auditions for her choir.
“I have so many stresses piling up on me, but at the same time, I need an outlet,” Heather says in an interview in the video above. “I need a resource to renew my soul, and so I’ve decided to form a choir.”
After separating from the Mormon church, Heather noted that she missed having a group to sing with. She felt it would be “empowering” to assemble a choir of people who “feel the same as [her].”
“It feels like I’m taking a little piece of my life back,” she continues in an interview.
For the auditions seen later on in the episode, Heather recruited a few musically inclined people to be judges.
While fans were already familiar with one judge, Meredith Marks (who was demoted to an assistant role early on), they may have also recognized another guest panelist: Paisley Foianini (née Van Patten).
As Heather shared during the episode, Paisley competed on American Idol, making her an ideal judge for the occasion.
Paisley competed on Season 13 of American Idol.
Heather's celebrity guest judge appeared on American Idol back in 2014. She first auditioned for the show (under her maiden name) in Salt Lake City. She made it through to the Hollywood round, where she was eliminated.
She's now a married mom of two.
Following her time on the singing show, Paisley wed Bronson Foianini. The couple shares two sons together, Oliver "Olly" Gary and Vincent "Vinny" Blaine.
Paisley reflected on her RHOSLC guest judging experience on her Instagram Story on November 8.
"This was the best day ever," she wrote alongside a photo of her, Heather, and Heather's business partner, Dre Robinson. "Thank you for having me!! What an amazing thing you've created..."
Heather's auditions could be derailed by the finsta drama.
While Paisley and the other judges, James Robin, Jeff McLean, and Heather herself, have some serious decisions to make about the choir, a few of the hopeful singers may strain their vocal cords from yelling before they have the opportunity to audition.
In a preview clip for the seventh episode, Angie Katsanevas and Danna Bui-Negrete confront Angie Harrington (who dressed up with Whitney Rose to audition) over her husband’s decision to create a finsta account, @ShahXposed.
Angie Harrington vehemently denies that she had any knowledge of her husband’s fake account, which Angie Katsanevas finds to be bogus.
Heather briefly leaves the auditions to try to quash the finsta debate, and soon returns to hear the rest of the singers. The clip concludes before Whitney and Angie Harrington have the chance to perform, so viewers will have to tune in to find out if the ladies make the cut to join the choir.
Watch The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City on Bravo Wednesdays at 9/8c and the next day on Peacock. Catch up on the Bravo app.
