American Idol alum Hannah Harper is at the center of a new online debate after fans noticed striking similarities between her original song Pink Back and a song with the same title recently introduced by The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Jen Affleck.
Hannah previously teased Pink Back while talking about the unusual inspiration behind the song. “It’s called Pink Back and it’s about flamingos,” she explained, pointing to the way flamingo parents can lose some of their bright pink color while caring for their babies before eventually getting it back. For Hannah, the idea became a metaphor for mothers losing part of themselves in motherhood and finding themselves again.
That same concept is now at the heart of Jen’s Pink Back storyline on the new season of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, where the influencer and reality star explores music as a possible new career. Jen’s song also centers on motherhood, losing yourself after having children and eventually finding yourself again.
The timeline has quickly caught fans’ attention. Lindsey Gurk launched Get Your Pink Back in 2022, using flamingos as a symbol for parents rediscovering themselves after having children. Hannah later publicly performed her own country song Pink Back, complete with a similar flamingo explanation, before Jen’s version aired.
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Online reactions have been mixed. Some viewers accused Jen of copying the idea, while others pointed out that “pink back” has been used by mom influencers for years and that the two songs sound different.
A Reddit discussion about the controversy also highlighted the same split. The original poster argued that Jen appeared to repeat the meaning behind Hannah’s song, while other users pushed back, saying the flamingo-and-motherhood concept is not unique and has circulated among mom influencers for years. One commenter pointed to Lindsey Gurk’s 2022 business as an earlier example, while another questioned whether there is any proof Jen had ever seen Hannah’s video.
Hannah’s original performance also adds another layer to the discussion, especially because she openly explained the flamingo metaphor before Jen’s storyline appeared.
Jen Affleck, 27, is a social media influencer and reality TV personality known for content about motherhood and family life. She rose to wider fame through TikTok before joining Hulu’s The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives in 2024.
For now, there is no evidence proving Jen heard Hannah’s song or intentionally copied it. The similarities have sparked a conversation about inspiration, originality and how widely the Pink Back metaphor was already being used online.
The biggest question remains: coincidence, shared inspiration or something more? Fans are still debating the answer.
Hannah Harper keeps releasing new music after American Idol
While the Pink Back debate continues online, Hannah Harper has been keeping her own music career moving. The American Idol Season 24 winner released her new single Hold Your Horses on Sept. 4, marking another step in her busy post-show run. The song follows Married Into This Town, which also featured her husband, Devon Mendenhall, and continues the country singer’s focus on music inspired by her life, family and experiences as a young mother.
Harper has also continued touring with her family band while raising her three young sons, making it clear that life after American Idol has not slowed her down. She previously opened up about the challenge of balancing motherhood, touring and new music, while saying the competition helped her become more confident in sharing her own story. With new releases continuing to arrive, Harper appears focused on building a career around the same honest, family-centered music that first connected with viewers during her viral String Cheese audition.
