Watch Backstreet Boys Member’s Son Audition for ‘American Idol’ 2025 With a Little Help From His Dad
Parade earlier shared that Baylee Littrell, son of Backstreet Boys’ Brian Littrell, would be auditioning for Season 8 of American Idol on ABC (Season 23 overall) in hopes of earning a Golden Ticket to Hollywood and beyond.
Now, we can give you a look at Baylee’s audition, which took place on tonight’s premiere episode. The 21-year-old college student from Alpharetta, GA, stood on the Idol logo and auditioned for Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan with an original song.
And, yes, it turns out that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, because Baylee got three yeses from the judges! They even had a little fun when Brian joined his son for a duet on the chorus of his song.
🎬 SIGN UP for Parade’s Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬
“I get my voice from dad. And, hopefully, I can do him justice today,” Baylee said in his video package. “I guess you could say music runs in our family. Dance moves are the one thing genetically that did not pass down. Following in my dad’s footsteps is scary because, to me, his career is one of the most extraordinary in music history. No one can ever compare. I remember being 8 or 9 years old and [the Backstreet Boys] sold out this huge arena. And I got to open up for the;. I had my two little songs. And I came offstage and when the guys went on, the screams and the lights went down. I was just mesmerized. I thought, ‘Oh, my gosh. What is this?’”
Related: Backstreet Boy Member’s Son Auditions for American Idol 2025
If Lionel, Carrie and Luke are right, Baylee may well be on the road to having his own screaming fans soon.
“You’re really good,” Carrie told him. “I love the song and that’s a risk, too, when people come in singing their own song. That was great emotionally. You went there and I think you could go very, very far in this competition.”
Then, Luke, who is always up for some fun, asked, “Do you think your dad would sing with you?”
Brian agreed and came in and harmonized beautifully with Baylee on the chorus.
“This was not a part of the audition. But for your superstar singer dad to come in here, I feel for anybody else, it would make you look bad. But it didn’t,” Carrie pointed out. “You were right there with him. You didn’t shy away. You were like, “This is my moment.’”
Related: Watch the Country Artist Who Takes a Huge Risk Auditioning for American Idol With a Carrie Underwood Song
Then Lionel told Brian, “I’m very happy for you and very proud of your son. He’s got his own lane and I think he can go a long way.”
Luke added, “I’m a dad of boys. And all you want your boys to do is blaze their own trail. And when they want to do the steps and the work, I’m there to help. But it’s up to them to want to go do it. You’ve obviously taken the time to hone your skills and your craft.”
Needless to say, it was three yeses from the judges. Proud papa Brian said, “I’m going to cry.’
After receiving his Golden Ticket, Baylee said, “I really didn’t know how it was going to go today. I was terrified. But being able to sing my original and get through and the judges loved it, that meant the world.”
American Idol airs Sunday nights at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC. Episodes are available to stream next day on Hulu.
Next, Here’s All the Info on American Idol 2025, Including the Judges, Host, How to Audition and a New Trailer Featuring Carrie Underwood
Among the hits? A MacBook Air for a record-low $699 and a Black+Decker Dustbuster for $45 (less than Black Friday!), to name a few.
Entertainment News
More in Entertainment
Solve the daily Crossword
Recommended articles
I Genuinely Can’t Watch “The Sound Of Music” The Same Way Again After Reading These 21 Facts
Meghan Markle Admits She’s ‘Making Mistakes’ After Show’s Brutal Reviews
SNL Introduced Lady Gaga’s Husband Lord Gaga, And It Turned Out To Be An Elaborate Set-Up To Dunk On Colin Jost
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.
Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.
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.
We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.
Contributing: Emily DeLetter, USA TODAY
When does ‘American Idol’ start? Season 23 premiere date
‘American Idol’ Season 23 trailer
‘American Idol’ judges, host
How to watch Season 23 of ‘American Idol’
What time is ‘American Idol’? What channel is it on? How to watch season premiere
A lot is coming full-circle for the newest “American Idol” judge joining the season 23 panel after winning the singing competition 20 years ago.
The latest season of “American Idol” premieres Sunday on ABC with three judges – returning celebs Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan and former “American Idol” champion Carrie Underwood.
“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.
The show will conduct a nationwide search to find the most talented amateur singers in New York, Los Angeles and Nashville. After judges and viewer votes narrow the field of contestants, one winner will emerge, securing a record deal and joining the ranks of fellow “Idol” winners, including Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, Jordin Sparks, Scotty McCreery and others.
Here’s everything to know about the new season of the beloved singing competition.
“American Idol” aired a 30-minute sneak peak of the new season after the Oscar Awards on March 2, which is now available to stream on Hulu.
The first half-hour sneak peek dives into Underwood’s background on the show and sees judges Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie and Underwood watch the first few auditions of the season in Nashville.
Season 23 of “American Idol” premieres Sunday, March 9, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
“American Idol” airs on Sunday nights at 8 p.m. ET.
The show airs live on ABC and is available to stream the next day on Hulu. It can also be streamed live on any platform with live TV capability.
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 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 in season 4.
In that time, Underwood has created 28 No. 1 singles and garnered eight Grammy Award wins.
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.
Abi Carter, a 22-year-old musician from Indio, California, won season 22 of “American Idol,” distinguishing herself as a frontrunner since her audition, when Luke Bryan declared she “may be the winner.”
