Loretta Lynn's granddaughter Emmy Russell announces pregnancy with singer Tyler Ward

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE: Emmy Russell, the 25-year-old 'American Idol' finalist and granddaughter of country music legend Loretta Lynn, has exciting news to share, she’s expecting her first child.

Russell revealed the announcement alongside her partner, 40-year-old fellow musician Tyler Ward, during a live taping of the 'Got It from My Momma' podcast, People reported.

Loretta Lynn's granddaughter Emmy Russell and singer Tyler Ward are expecting a baby girl

The podcast’s host, Jennifer Vickery Smith, set the stage for the big reveal by hinting at a surprise. Russell then delighted the audience by sharing, “Y’all, Tyler and me are expecting a baby girl.” The crowd erupted in cheers as Ward joined her on stage, embracing her warmly and cradling her baby bump.

Russell shared, “I didn’t know I was pregnant while I was on 'American Idol'. It’s been an incredible journey, and I’m so excited.”

Russell and Ward have kept their relationship mostly private, with only a few glimpses shared on social media. In November, Ward posted a memorable photo of the couple alongside Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, at the White House, where Russell had been invited to perform.

“Kamala was very sweet,” Ward captioned the post. “You might be asking, how in the world did this happen? Because @emmyroserussell is a superstar and was personally invited to perform. And me? Well..I’m just her arm candy.”

The couple also teased their relationship in a June Instagram post, captioning glammed-up mirror selfies with, “Classified. For now.”

'American Idol' alum Emmy Russell shares story behind original song 'Skinny'

Singer-songwriter Emmy Russell, who captivated audiences during Season 22 of 'American Idol' with her talent and authenticity, continues to make waves in the music world. The artist reached the Top 5 of the competition, earning widespread acclaim for her heartfelt original song 'Skinny', as well as standout covers of 'All the Small Things' by Blink-182, 'The Climb' by Miley Cyrus, and 'I Can’t Make You Love Me' by Bonnie Raitt.

One of her most poignant performances was a tribute to her late grandmother, country legend Loretta Lynn, as she covered Lynn's iconic hit 'Coal Miner’s Daughter'.

In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE in April, Russell opened up about the inspiration behind 'Skinny', a deeply personal song addressing her struggles with disordered eating. "I struggled a lot with physical beauty image pressures and social media," Russell shared. "I kind of grew up in the spotlight and so I was always very image-conscious."

The singer explained that her motivation to write the song came from realizing how many others shared her experience. "When I saw 80 or 70 million people struggle with eating, I was like, 'What? I'm not the only one. I need to sing about it,'" she said.