When a little girl threw a coin into a fountain to wish her mother luck on “American Idol,” viewers likely knew they were in for a tear-jerker. Still, the show didn’t disappoint. Fire Wilmore’s audition, a 22-year-old exotic dancer hoping to change her life with her voice, sent viewers on an emotional rollercoaster.

Judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry, and Lionel Richie babysat Wilmore’s 4-year-old daughter Maja while she shared her life story. Her mother’s drug problems led to Wilmore being placed in state custody. She ended up “pregnant and alone” at 18. Now, she has a goal: to get away from dancing for her daughter.

Wilmore sang Bruno Mars’ “Talking to the Moon,” and it was a decent audition. However, it wasn’t good enough, and the judges let her down gently, with Perry coaching her a bit. Still, the encouragement and gentle criticism didn’t stop Wilmore’s tears. In a humiliating moment, Wilmore’s daughter took a Golden Ticket, given to contestants as a pass to the next round, and gave it to her mother. The little girl said, “I think I found this.”

Wilmore told her daughter, “Put it back. Go put it back.” Perry extended a second chance at a later audition in Nashville to Wimore, and she accepted. Wilmore said of her aspirations, “I don’t want it. I need it.” Wilmore returned to “American Idol” for a second chance a week after her previous audition resulted in rejection, tears and embarrassment.

Wilmore made the trip to Nashville, again expressing a desire to leave behind her job as a stripper. This time, she sang Adele’s “Love in the Dark” as Perry yelled occasional instructions like “fight for it.”

The judges praised her for returning more focused and offered encouragement tempered by reality. Lionel Richie said he wasn’t sure if her tone could take her to the next level. “Are you the best singer we’ve seen? Not at all,” Luke Bryan said.

But in the end, Richie, Bryan and Perry all gave Wilmore a “yes” to send her to the next round in Hollywood. Fire Wilmore’s first audition might not have ended as she wanted it to. However, the judges gave her a second chance, and she returned with a new attitude. Though her daughter tried to sneak her to the next round by giving her a Golden Ticket, Wilmore earned herself a trip to the next round.

Even if Wilmore doesn’t go further on “American Idol,” hopefully, she can change her life and better herself for her daughter.