Season 23 of American Idol will premiere next year and will feature a major change. Katy Perry exited the show after the end of season 22 and Carrie Underwood will take her place. She’ll join Lionel Richie and her fellow country star Luke Bryan in the task of selecting the next Idol winner.
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American Idol fans know that the judges have to walk a tightrope between being tough and kind. After all, they can’t just let anyone get to the top. At the same time, they don’t want to crush the dreams of aspiring artists. Recently, Bryan appeared on Taste of Country Nights. During his conversation with host Evan Paul, he revealed what kind of judge he thinks Underwood will be.
[RELATED: Carrie Underwood Discusses Returning to ‘American Idol’ and Her Collab with Papa Roach]
Luke Bryan on Carrie Underwood Joining American Idol
Evan Paul asked Luke Bryan if he thought Carrie Underwood would be too hard on contestants or too kind. Bryan noted that the tone of the show has shifted since Underwood competed and won in 2005.
“We’ve all gotten a lot softer in that role as the show has evolved,” Bryan said. “Obviously the early origins of American Idol, you couldn’t stop watching it because of some of the bad talent and how Simon [Cowell] would react and that was a big reason for the show’s success,” he added.
“The show has really gotten away from a lot of that and is more about lifting these kids up. I think Carrie will do a great job at that,” he said of Underwood.
Then, Bryan explained the balance that American Idol judges have to strike in giving feedback. “You gotta go soft when you go soft. Then, when you have a kid that thinks they’ve already made it and they’re this and that, you kinda gotta lean on them and put them in their place a little bit and calm them down,” he shared.
Paul wondered if Underwood would be able to be hard on contestants when they needed it. “I don’t see why she wouldn’t. Anytime you’ve navigated the music business as a woman, you know… she’s done it with such grace and elegance but you still gotta have some piss and vinegar in you,” Bryan said. “To be the superstar she is, she certainly had to really get in there and be strong when she needs to be strong,” he added.
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