“American Idol” is back with an all new season next week. Judges Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood and host Ryan Seacrest return for the season premiere on Monday, January 26th. In this extended sneak peek, inspiring college student Jesse Findling, whose lifelong stutter melts away when he sings, astounds the judges with “In The Stars” by Benson Boone.
Get the most American Idol news in our American Idol category page, for show recaps, contestant interviews, judges comments and more.
The reality competition show that discovered superstars Jennifer Hudson, Fantasia, Katharine McPhee, Adam Lambert, and Kelly Clarkson to name a few is going the contestants and viewers new challenges for the season.
Get the most American Idol news in our American Idol category page, for show recaps, contestant interviews, judges comments and more.
Some of the changes include: A move to Monday nights from Sunday in past seasons; All auditions took place in Nashville; “Hollywood Week” will not be in Hollywood but in Nashville, and lastly a new round will take place in Hawaii.
This season, the show will introduce a new round of competition featuring a stellar lineup of industry tastemakers, adding a fresh element when the show heads to Hawai’i for the brand-new ‘Ohana Round. Filmed at Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa in Ko Olina, a three-episode arc follows the iconic Hollywood Week, with the brand-new ‘Ohana Round featured as one of those episodes, offering hopefuls a distinct moment in the competition. Designed as the ultimate focus group, the ‘Ohana Round blends peer respect, emotional support and professional insight before the competition moves on to America’s Vote.
Get the most American Idol news in our American Idol category page, for show recaps, contestant interviews, judges comments and more.
In this new round, the top 30 hopefuls will perform for industry tastemakers – who collectively reach nearly 149 million followers – including Kaniyia Brown & Terry McCaskill (social media personality duo), Anthony Gargiula (artist and music creator), Loren Gray (singer and actress), Shirley Halperin (co-editor-in-chief of Rolling Stone), Evan Ross Katz (writer, podcast host and cultural commentator), Cheryl Porter (singer and vocal coach phenomenon), and Kelly Sutton (country music personality and Grand Ole Opry announcer) – as well as their peers, family members and friends. By the end of the ‘Ohana Round, only 20 contestants will advance in the competition.
“American Idol” returns Jan. 26 on an all-new night on ABC, with episodes streaming next day on Hulu.
Get the most American Idol news in our American Idol category page, for show recaps, contestant interviews, judges comments and more.
