'American Idol's Hannah Harper Wrote an Original Song About Motherhood and String Cheese

Although most American Idol contestants opt for covers of popular songs to wow the judges and make it to the next stage after initial auditions, some choose to perform original songs. That's what one contestant, Hannah Harper, does in an episode where she shares her original song called "String Cheese" and brings everyone, including herself, to tears.

During the Feb. 2, 2026, episode of American Idol, Hannah explains her journey to motherhood with the judges, including Carrie Underwood, who is a mom and country singer, not unlike Hannah herself. She then performs her original song about being a mom and working through postpartum depression, and, needless to say, she is going to Hollywood.

Before Hannah performs her song for the judges, she explains what "String Cheese" means and why that's the title of her song. It has to do with one of her older children's needs as she was, according to her, sitting on the couch with her newborn and "wallowing." Once she realized one of her other kids needed her, she made the decision to lean into her calling as a mom and work through her postpartum depression.

"I was sitting on my couch wallowing," she says during her American Idol audition. "My youngest son kept coming up to me saying, 'Mom, open this. Open my cheese.' When I finally did, I realized God had put me there and that being a mom was the biggest ministry I could have. I got up, quit throwing a pity party, and kicked postpartum depression in the butt, and I said, I ain't doing it. So I wrote this song."

The lyrics detail exactly what Hannah described to the judges about her feelings as a young mom and worries once she had another baby. But the lyrics also show how important motherhood is to Hannah, and it's relatable for plenty of moms out there, whether they've dealt with postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, baby blues, or none of the above.

Hannah finishes her song, including lyrics like "To those days I want to cry, run away, and hide, but I'd worry about their every need. When I'm overwhelmed and touched out, they come climbing up on the couch saying, 'Mama, can you open my string cheese?'" And then, she gets praise from the judges.

"Well, that's about the most relatable song I think I've ever heard," Carrie says through tears.

During her audition on American Idol, Hannah also explained that she grew up in a musical family, singing and traveling. They sang bluegrass and gospel music and traveled for years, from 1009 until 2016. She says on the show that it was an "unconventional upbringing," but one she still cherishes.

Now that she has a family of her own, she wants to pursue a career as a solo artist. Given her "String Cheese" song, and the judges' apparent praise of Hannah, American Idol could be how that happens for her.