Cedar Rapids singer Haley Slaton keeps on trying, auditions for 'American Idol' Season 21

This time when Haley Slaton auditioned for "American Idol," she was able to breathe normally.

"Like (Lionel Richie) said… it’s so hard to sing when you have a baby in your stomach," Slaton, a Cedar Rapids resident, told the Des Moines Register in April while Season 20 was still airing.

Slaton appeared on the last season of "American Idol" won by Noah Thompson while she was eight-months pregnant. She left the show during Hollywood week, and since her departure, Slaton married fellow contestant Jordan Myles, gave birth to her son Jaelyn and performed across the state.

Slaton noted that leaving "Idol" early last season was a bit of "a blessing in disguise" since she ended up giving birth to her son in January, three weeks earlier than expected as a result of preeclampsia complicating her pregnancy.

Thankfully, Slaton is healthy as is Jaelyn, who regularly rocks and dances happily when his parents sing songs like "Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun" to him, adding their own created lines to the song.

"I’m a stay-at-home mom too and my husband is full-time military. He just left for school but he’s becoming a sergeant," Slaton told the Register on Friday.

Now she's ready to try to win it all on "American Idol" again.

More: Iowa contestants Sam Moss, Haley Slaton team up during duets challenge on 'American Idol'

Jordan Myles auditions again, too

Slaton also confirmed that she's not the only one trying to return to the ABC competition. Though she couldn't comment further on how his audition went, Slaton noted that Myles also went back to audition for the show.

Though it's unclear how much airtime Slaton or her husband may get in the coming season, her progress last season proved that the judges, who are all returning for this year, hold high opinions of Slaton.

“Haley, you have a tone like no other... That said, the competition is getting really, really, really fierce. Haley, I'm sorry, you’re not going forward," "Idol" judge Katy Perry told Slaton last season when the then-eight-months pregnant Cedar Rapids singer was told she would not advance. “I know you’re going to be a great mother and I also know you’re never going to give up on your dreams.”

In returning to the competition this season — hopefully able to present her voice clearer than ever — Slaton plans to demonstrate exactly that.

“I want to show younger people or even older people that there’s still life and if you’re passionate about something still chase it no matter what," she said.

For other Iowans interested in auditioning for the upcoming season of the show, two dates still remain on Monday, Sept. 12, and Wednesday, Sept. 14. Contestants can sign up for a live audition through abc.com/shows/american-idol/auditions or they can upload an audition video online at any time.

Though "Idol" representatives were unable to confirm a broadcast date for the coming season, this coming season is expected to begin airing in the spring of 2023.

Isaac Hamlet covers arts, entertainment and culture at the Des Moines Register. Reach him at ihamlet@gannett.com or 319-600-2124, follow him on Twitter @IsaacHamlet.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Cedar Rapids' Haley Slaton sings for 'American Idol' for Season 21