Hannah Harper is beginning to feel the strain of balancing being a stay-at-home mom and a rising star on “American Idol.” Harper’s audition, in which she sang her original song, “String Cheese,” about her struggle with postpartum depression, instantly went viral after judge Carrie Underwood wiped away tears and said it was “the most relatable song I’ve ever heard.”
Harper, 25, made it through Hollywood Week and the new Ohana round to land in the new season’s Top 20. On March 16, 2026, she performed again, this time vying for America’s vote and sharing how much it helped to have her husband, Devon Mendenhall, and their three sons with her in Hawaii.
“It feels like a dream to be able to share this with them,” she told producers. “Everyone’s so happy to be here. They got their hair a whole bunch of different colors and it was all crazy and fun. They got tatted up, and had a meet and greet with Mickey. It was a sweet experience. I’m just soaking it all in.”
However, days before the episode aired, Harper admitted in her Instagram Stories that it’s been challenging to juggle all the demands of competing on a huge TV show while wanting to be present for her kids.
Hannah Harper Says She Will ‘Refuse’ Continuing Her Current Schedule After ‘Idol’
DisneyOn March 14, Harper answered questions from her growing legion of fans via her Instagram Stories. When one asked, “What do you enjoy LEAST about your life right now?” Harper shared an honest response.
Over a photo of one of her boys asleep in her husband’s lap on a plane, Harper wrote, “Feeling pulled in too many directions. Some days I wish there were two of me — one who could chase every music dream God has placed in my heart, and another who could stay home and just be the mama she once was.”
When another follower asked what life was like behind the scenes of “American Idol,” Harper wrote, “Long hours of hurry up and wait. The hardest part for me is being cooped up in a room, not able to see my husband & babies. I leave before they wake up and don’t get back til they’re in bed.”
The southern Missouri native continued, “I’m reminding myself it’s just temporary. That will NOT be our way of life outside of idol. I refuse…”
Harper revealed to other curious followers that she was 18 when she married Mendenhall, and that they homeschool their oldest son, Jentry, who turns seven in April. As for whether they will expand their family, Harper told one fan, “Honestly the transition from 1-2 was way harder than 2-3. At this point I feel like what’s 3 more? I don’t think it could get any more chaotic.”
Despite Challenging Schedule, Hannah Harper is Still Loving ‘American Idol’ Experience
Harper had an “unconventional” upbringing, traveling the U.S. with her family’s band to perform bluegrass and Christian music alongside her parents, Katrina and Gaylon, her brothers Dillon and Dalton, and Dillon’s wife, Makeena, per Music Mayhem magazine.
Though she has a strong musical background, she has loved what she’s gained thus far from her “American Idol” experience, including receiving feedback from Underwood and her fellow judges, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie. Harper explained, “To sing in front of them and then hear how I can better myself and better my career, it’s something that not many people have the opportunity to do.”
In her Instagram Stories on March 14, Harper also praised the vocal coaches she’s been able to work with on the show, writing, “Each round on Idol comes with a different coach, and I’ve honestly had some AMAZING ones. They don’t just help vocally — they also pour into you mentally and emotionally, which has been just as important. It’s been such an incredible learning experience.”
Over a photo of Harper talking with her coach Baraka May in Hawaii, she added, “This is behind the scenes after my rehearsal for beach round with my coach @barakamay who poured into me everyday and made sure I knew I was capable”
Harper’s future on season 24 will be revealed on March 30, when viewers’ votes from the episodes on March 16 and 23 are tabulated to reveal the Top 14.
