‘American Idol’ Standout Lola Bonfiglio Says Grandpa Brian Wilson ‘Changed the World’

As tributes rolled in for Beach Boys leader Brian Wilson upon the news of his death at age 82 on June 11, 2025, one of the most poignant came from his granddaughter, Lola Bonfiglio, who rose to fame months before during her journey on “American Idol.”

Sharing a photo of her as a toddler, sitting in her grandpa’s lap at a piano, Bonfiglio, 20, wrote, “i love you grandpa. you changed the world. you have left an invaluable mark on me and so many others and i am blessed to have had you in my life. i will forever do music in your honor. rest in music paradise🕊️🤍”

Brian Wilson’s Family Says They Are ‘Heartbroken’ Over His Passing

Wilson’s family revealed his passing in a post on his Instagram profile on June 11, with a photo of him sitting on a park bench.

“We are heartbroken to announce that our beloved father Brian Wilson has passed away,” the photo was captioned. “We are at a loss for words right now. Please respect our privacy at this time as our family is grieving. We realize that we are sharing our grief with the world. Love & Mercy”

Bonfiglio — whose mom is Wilson’s daughter Carnie Wilson, one third of the 90s pop supergroup Wilson Philips — commented on the post, “i love you grandpa. rest in music paradise. 🤍🕊️”

In less than an hour, nearly 400 people had liked Bonfiglio’s comment and many more had commented on her own post about her beloved grandpa, including one who wrote, “So sorry for your loss, we’re all thinking of you today 🤍”

Lola Bonfiglio Auditioned for ‘American Idol’ With Her Famous Mom & Aunt

In an episode of “American Idol” season 23 that aired in March, Bonfiglio successfully auditioned for judges Lionel Richie, Luke Bryan, and Carrie Underwood, accompanied by her famous mom, guitarist dad Rob Bonfiglio, and her aunt Wendy Wilson, who is also part of Wilson Phillips. Chynna Phillips rounds out the Grammy-nominated trio, who still performs periodically.

With her dad playing guitar, Bonfiglio sang the Wilson Phillips hit “Hold On” — 35 years after the song was a smash hit — with her mom and aunt. She later sang for the judges solo, too, earning a ticket to Hollywood, where she was cut after the first round.

Carnie Wilson was upset to see online criticism of her daughter being a “nepo baby,” she told attendees of 90s Con in late March, as EntertainmentNow previously reported.

“Would you encourage a doctor’s son not to be a doctor?” she asked the crowd during a panel. “Would you ever say, ‘Don’t be a doctor because your dad is a doctor?’ Lola wants to be a singer, and they say these terrible things, and she was so hurt.”

After her journey on the show ended, Bonfiglio wrote on Instagram, “this has been a roller coaster ride like no other and i’m so full of gratitude. let me tell you… i have NEVER experienced pressure like that in my life, but boy has it taught me a lot. it has pushed me to work on my confidence as a singer, hone in on my artistry and songwriting, and not let a little heat stop me!”