Six years ago, singer Lily Meola of Maui, Hawaii was on top of the world. She had a record deal in hand, and her career was poised to take off. She was so overjoyed that she penned a song called “Daydream” about what it felt like to live her dream.

Sadly, not all dreams are meant to last. Before she could realize her vision of a music career, Lily’s mother was diagnosed with cancer and needed her help. She became her mom’s primary caregiver and lost her record deal. Her mother passed away in 2020.

Two years later, Lily is back to pursuing her dream as a contestant on “America’s Got Talent.” The 27-year-old singer shared the story behind her original song with judges Simon Cowell, Heidi Klum, Sofia Vergara, and Howie Mandel before she got started. According to Lily, the song has “kind of evolved over the past couple of years,” but now it serves as a reminder of her mother’s undying love.