What time does ‘American Idol’ start? Premiere date, judges, where to watch Season 23
Get ready to sing your heart out, America. “Idol” returns this Sunday.
Season 23 of the reality singing competition that helped launch Kelly Clarkson’s career features longtime host Ryan Seacrest and judges Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie and Season 4 winner Carrie Underwood, who replaces “Teenage Dream” singer Katy Perry after seven seasons.
Some of the world’s most iconic singers, including Underwood, Jennifer Hudson and Adam Lambert, got their start on “American Idol,” which first premiered in 2002.
“20 years ago I auditioned for the judges of @americanidol, and today I am now one of those judges searching for someone who wants to BE AN IDOL!” Underwood wrote in an August social media post. “It all starts with an audition…will we #CUonIDOL?”
The season kicks off with three episodes of auditions before the lucky group of singers get a coveted trip to Hollywood.
Here’s what to know about Season 23 of “American Idol,” including how to tune in.
Season 23 of “American Idol” premieres Sunday, March 9 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.
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Long-time judges Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan are joined by Carrie Underwood this season.
The “Before He Cheats” singer is taking over for Katy Perry, who revealed that she was leaving the show to focus on music. Underwood, an “American Idol” alum, returns to the show about 20 years after she won the competitive singing competition.
Ryan Seacrest, who has hosted 20 seasons of “American Idol,” will once again serve as emcee.
Grammy-nominated singer Jelly Roll will serve as a first-ever artist in residence. He will work closely with contestants, giving them firsthand advice on how to “navigate the journey,” as Variety first reported.
“American Idol” airs Sunday nights on ABC with episodes available to stream on Hulu the next day.
Viewers may also catch the show live on the ABC app or website along with live-streaming sites that allow viewers to watch in real-time.
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Contributing: Emily DeLetter, USA TODAY
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Carrie Underwood reflects on the moment when Simon Cowell cut off her American Idol audition
“You know Simon hates country music, right?”
RAY MIKSHAW/FOX
Before she won the fourth season of American Idol, sold 85 million records, toured the world, and won eight Grammy Awards, Carrie Underwood was just contestant 14887 when she walked into auditions for the show’s fourth season.
The country singer, who brings her expertise to the judges’ table on the upcoming 23rd season of the talent competition, looked back at the time she sang for the panel of Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson in a new video from the ABC reality series.
The then curly-haired Underwood performed “I Can’t Make You Love Me” by Bonnie Raitt. Her vocals were an immediate hit with the judges, but she wasn’t sure, because Cowell stopped her before she’d even gotten through the chorus. See her audition at about two minutes into the video below.
“Okay, that was very good,” Cowell said in the abrupt manner he was known for on Idol and, nowadays, on America’s Got Talent.
Then Jackson asked Underwood for her favorite singer, and she replied it was country star Martina McBride.
“I was saying to someone the other day,” Cowell said, “‘I’m surprised that we haven’t found a good country singer in this competition yet.’ I think you’re very good.”
That had to be a relief to Underwood, who said she had heard that Cowell wasn’t a fan of her preferred genre.
“One of the executive producers at the time, was like, ‘You know, Simon hates country music, right?’ And I was like, ‘Yes.'” It had even affected Underwood’s choice of song, she said. “I thought maybe if I sang ‘I Can’t Make You Love Me,’ it would kind of still be me and a song that I knew and loved.”
MIKE COPPOLA/WIREIMAGE
She appreciated that Cowell had also told her to, as she heard it, “keep being me” rather than dismissing her for her chosen genre.
“I feel like he deserves a lot of credit for that,” she said, “instead of being like, ‘I don’t like country music. This isn’t what I wanna listen to,’ he saw a country artist and the value that country music has.”
The “Blown Away” singer had no idea how she had the confidence to audition.
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“I was a baby!” Underwood said.
The artist teared up as she read from a journal that she kept at that young age.
“Obviously, it’s overwhelming,” she said. “But you’re gonna do fine, kid! You’re gonna be okay. Just hold on.”
Underwood will sit alongside judges Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie when the new season of American Idol premieres Sunday, March 9 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.
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Watch: Carrie Underwood reacts to her ‘American Idol’ audition from Season 4
AMERICAN IDOL – ABC’s “American Idol” stars Carrie Underwood. (Disney/Gizelle Hernandez)Disney
On Sunday, Carrie Underwood makes her debut as a judge on “American Idol” during the program’s Season 23 premiere. But 21 years ago, the acclaimed country singer was on the other side of the judging table.
Underwood shared a video reacting to her 2004 “American Idol” audition, a successful tryout that would set her on the path to win the TV competition’s fourth season. The audition took place in St. Louis, Missouri, when Underwood was 21 years old.
Underwood performed the Bonnie Raitt song “I Can’t Make You Love Me” in front of the original “American Idol” judges Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul, and Simon Cowell. The artist said she picked the song knowing that Cowell was not particularly found of country music.
“Even one of the executive producers at the time was like, ‘You know Simon hates country music, right?’” she recalled in the reaction video.
To her surprise, Cowell cut off her audition — and immediately paid her a compliment, saying Underwood’s performance was “very good.”
“I was saying to someone the other day, I’m surprised that we haven’t found a good country singer in this competition yet,” Cowell said. “I think you’re very good. I think you should stay good at what you’re doing, as well.”
Underwood said in the video that Cowell “deserves a lot of credit” for keeping an open mind during her audition.
“He saw a country artist and the value that country music has,” she said.
Jackson also complimented Underwood’s performance, and gave her feedback about honing her emotionality and stage presence.
“I’m still working on that,” she said in the reaction video.
Underwood received a unanimous “yes” from the judges and left St. Louis with a coveted ticket to Hollywood.
“I have no idea how that 21-year-old Carrie was able to muster up enough guts to walk into a room and audition in front of Simon, Paula, and Randy, and the world,” she said.
“I guess the good Lord gave me strength,” she added. “That’s destiny, and we all have one.”
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