After the chorus, Jelly Roll ushers Salvitti to join him as she walks out to greet the audience of thousands. “It was crazy! So many people!” Josie admitted.
One little girl is getting interest from some of the biggest stars in country music, and it’s all thanks to her talent and guts for getting out there and making her dreams come true.
Josie Salvitti, an 11-year-old aspiring singer from Pittsburgh, PA, recently shared the stage with Jelly Roll. The moment happened on Tuesday, (August 15) in Burgettstown, PA, at The Pavilion at Star Lake, as part of the rapper turned country superstar’s massive Backroad Baptism Tour.
The young girl took the microphone, stepping in for Lainey Wilson, who was away on her headlining tour, having played a show in Atlanta, GA, at the State Farm Arena, and making her way to Alabama. Saving the day, Salvitti provided the lead vocals on Wilson’s portion of Jelly Roll’s “Save Me” from his latest album and country debut, WHITSITT CHAPEL.
Josie Filled In For Lainey Wilson And Performed “Save Me” With Jelly Roll
A clip posted on Salvitti’s Facebook page shows her standing side stage while waiting for her shining moment to come. After the chorus, Jelly Roll ushers Salvitti to join him as she walks out to greet the audience of thousands.
Salvitti appears in her element while singing with her hero, making sure to emphasize each word while backed by a full band. She shows no signs of nervousness and sings the borrowed lines with conviction as the crowd cheers her on throughout the performance.
Recounting the one-in-a-lifetime moment, Salvitti told Music Mayhem that she did not anticipate getting up onstage with Jelly Roll because she was coming to the show from a separate event and figured he had already performed the song. As luck would have it, he did not.
“Can I Sing ‘Save Me’ With You?”
Armed with a sign that read the words, “Since Lainey is on her way to Alabama… Can I sing “Save Me” with you? Jelly Roll & Josie,” Salvitti got her wish. The sign caught the attention of Antioch, Tenn., native, and the rest is history!
“It was crazy! So many people! I thought no way would he even see my sign,” Salvitti shared of the moment leading up to her duet. “My dad asked some great people if they minded getting me in front, so Jelly Roll could see my sign. Everyone was so nice and let us get right into the pit. In fact, the security let me stand on her chair. Then it happened! Jelly Roll made eye contact with me and nodded with a smile like “I gotcha you.”
“The Pitt even started cheering my name and pointing at my sign,” she continued. “Next thing I know security came up to us and said, ‘Let’s go. We are going backstage. Follow me!’ We waited on the side of the stage and when ‘Save Me’ came on I thought wow this is really happening! Jelly Roll signaled me over, and we sang together! I was singing with Jelly Roll. I had only practiced with Spotify Jelly Roll, but this was real.”
Previously Caught Lainey Wilson’s Attention
This isn’t the first time Salvitti has caught the attention of country superstars. Interestingly enough, she got to sing along to Wilson’s “Watermelon Moonshine” during a concert in Tampa, FL, where Wilson pointed the microphone at her while she was in the audience. The incredible moment also piqued American Idol producer’s interest as Salvitti used that moment to reveal she was too young to audition for the reality TV singing competition.
“Just wanted to share a story about Lainey Wilson and American Idol. I went to see her with my family in Tampa, and of course, took my sign,” Salvitti wrote on Facebook. “It said ‘too young for Idol but would love to sing ‘Watermelon Moonshine’ with you. ‘She was gracious enough and let me. Next thing, American Idol reached out to me and had me sing for them! American Idol gave me a VIP to go straight to auditions in LA when I turn of age!”
VIP Ticket To Hollywood On American Idol
A video shared on Salvitti’s page shows her on Zoom with one of the American Idol producers. In the clip, he shares his enthusiasm for Salvitti’s strong voice. Despite her age, he says he wanted to hear her sing, and as a special surprise, he invited her to audition in front of judges in Los Angeles when she turns 15!
Sharing her gratitude for getting to sing Wilson’s tunes and for Idol knocking on her door, Salvitti, who says she is inspired by artists like Billy Joel, Journey, Wilson, Jelly Roll, Elton John, Adele, and Dolly Pardon, said, “I cannot fill her shoes there is only one Lainey. But I’m honored. And Lainey, American Idol, Jelly Roll, and all the support from everyone has made this dream feel possible. Thank you.”
Josie Salvitti, who says she “started music on a dare from my dad a year and five months ago,” may still have a few years to go before she steps foot on American Idol, but by the looks and sounds of it, she’s already on track to become a well-known name in music!
