In 2016, Sonika Vaid was a finalist on Season 15 of "American Idol." She was only 20 years old when she entered the competition. The Massachusetts native blew the judges and viewers away, ultimately placing in the Top 5. At her first "American Idol" audition, judges Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban, and Harry Connick Jr. were highly complimentary of her vocals. Connick Jr. said, "You know, you sang beautifully. That was a perfect performance. I was totally engaged. This is one of the only times this particular season that I saw somebody that I actually think could win this thing." After her "Idol" elimination, Vaid spoke to reporters about her journey and future, per Billboard. She said, "I just really like pop and maybe a little bit of R&B, but now that I sang rock on the show, that's always an option, but pop is something I am really going to just stick to." At the time, she stated that she was "going to focus on music."

Although Vaid was busy selling homes on "Buying Beverly Hills," she still kept her singing dreams alive. In one clip on the series (via Instagram), she casually sang at Whitney Cummings' request. The comedian was impressed, to say the least. In addition, Vaid released two songs on Spotify called "Lost" and "All U Know" in 2022.