One of the most buzzed-about “American Idol” finalists in 2024 was country legend Loretta Lynn’s granddaughter, Emmy Russell. The singer-songwriter made headlines throughout her run on the show, as she landed in the Top 5 after an emotional journey, from singing about her battle with disordered eating to performing her grandma’s hit song, “Coal Miner’s Daughter.”
Now, a year after first appearing on the show, Russell, 26, is making headlines again. The Nashville artist is a new mom — welcoming daughter Taylor Ray on January 31, 2025 — and confirmed to People on February 28 that she got secretly married in 2024 to Song House founder Tyler Ward.
On February 1, Russell’s mom confirmed to Southern Living that her daughter had married Ward, but Russell had not publicly commented on their marital status until talking to People.
Emmy Russell & Tyler Ward Had a Kroger Cake at Their Small Wedding
Russell and Ward have been together for several years. The day before their daughter’s birth, they shared a video montage of special moments in their relationship, including a photo of Ward with Lynn, who died in 2022.
The couple told People that they got married in front of a few family members within the last year, with a Kroger cake and twinkle lights strung in the living room where they got married.
“Emmy and I had been together for a while, and her heart was just like, ‘I want to be married,'” Ward told the outlet. “And then I’m like, ‘I don’t think I’ll ever be married.’ And then you think about losing someone that you become best friends with and tight with and you’re like, ‘Maybe that’s what it is. Maybe that’s what marriage is. It’s just like, I don’t want this person out of my life.”
“We told everybody so last minute because we wanted to make sure it was for us and not everybody else,” Ward continued. “We wrote our own vows. And it was one of those things where you’re like, this to me is how it’s supposed to be, because it was between us.”
Though Taylor Ray is their first child together, Russell and Ward welcomed his nephew Christian into their home when he was seven. According to People, the couple “flew Christian out from Colorado to come live with them in Nashville on their farm,” where they’ve been raising him ever since. Ward has frequently shared fun and funny moments with Christian on Instagram, including a discussion about his final week of fourth grade in May 2024.
Emmy Russell & Husband Tyler Ward Release Song in Honor Their Daughter
On February 27, Russell and Ward released their first song together, “London Bridges” — a collaboration that has them considering consistently working together as a duo.
After the couple told one of Ward’s songwriting partners they were expecting a baby, he co-wrote the song for them as a surprise, envisioning what their life will be like raising a little girl.
Ward told People, “They came out like, ‘Hey, we think you’ll like this.’ And they played it, and I couldn’t get enough. I teared up so much, to where it felt like our song.”
“It’s like the nursery song, ‘London Bridges,’ like ‘London Bridge is falling down,'” Russell explained to People “So it’s like that, ‘When your London Bridges are falling down, I’ll be right there with you. So we’re right there for you.'”
After Taylor Ray arrived, Russell and Ward realized they needed to record and release the song, which has since inspired them to consider working together as an act.
“Maybe we’ll have a duet and maybe we’ll be a band,” Ward told People. “We have all these other songs, maybe we’ll start releasing music as a duet. And the whole flood gates opened of ideas.”
While they solidify those plans, Russell has another big career moment coming. She is due to open for country star Megan Maroney on April 11 and 12 in Knoxville.
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‘American Idol’ Alum Emmy Russell Reveals She’s Happily Married After Secret Wedding