The excitement vibrates through the air as we approach “American Idol” season 25! Judges Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan all primed and pumped for first live show premiere. The race to find America’s next great talent is on! The winner will be determined as the top 20 contestants take the stage to perform their amazing artistry each week live on ABC beginning Monday, March 20 (time tbd).
Carrie Underwood can’t wait for the new season to begin! For her, it’s an opportunity for contestants to sing songs that really speak to them. She made the case for being authentic in your music, and this will be a common thread over the course of this season.
Richie, a music veteran in his own right, urged hopeful crooners to come into their audition with the best show of their lives. He announced, “There’s no such thing as too hot,” encouraging this year’s participants to go all out in their various showings.
Country superstar Luke Bryan even weighed in with a sage reminder that, “some music is just ageless.” He said, “‘Easy (Like Sunday Morning)’ is just timeless, never gets old,” reflecting his belief that classic tunes can still captivate audiences today.
When the judges were deliberating over their top cuts, Richie spoke about loving Underwood’s hit “Jesus, Take the Wheel.” This was a somewhat unprecedented move by him but was evident of his excitement to have her on this track, saying, “Let’s just do it together.” This lovely sentiment is a testament to the sheer collegiality of this year’s judges and their commitments to lifting each other’s artistry.
This season is the 24th overall and the ninth on ABC. It continues the legacy of the show and is at the same time responsive to the current directions in music and entertainment. The judges have been inspired, and we’re eager to see what’s next. Underwood shared that even she was having a hard time picking between Bryan and Richie’s catalogs. She could only call it “impossible”, as both present a superfluity of astonishing music.
As we’re moving toward the first live show, excitement is building among fans and contestants. The final top 20 performers have to dazzle the judges. They have to wow the folks back home in order to keep their own place in the cutthroat competition.
