ABC/Alfonso BrescianiWhen American Idol returns to TV on March 11, it’ll bring a bona fide country superstar as one of its judges: four-time Entertainer of the Year Luke Bryan.
The Georgia native says it was an instant “yes” when he was asked to join Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and host Ryan Seacrest.
“The American Idol endeavor, for me, felt like it was gonna be a blast to be a part of,” Luke said earlier this week at a Television Critics Association panel in Los Angeles. “I mean, you started hearing whispers of it coming back, and then you hear it’s on ABC. And then I get the call to do it.”
“And I’ve had the opportunity to do some TV stuff through the years and turned it down,” he explained. “Because I always focused on touring and my little, kinda country music world that I just kinda figured out. And then, here American Idol happens, and I jumped right on it.”
While the exposure and the paycheck surely played a part in Luke’s decision, he says the overwhelming reason he wanted to do American Idol was to go on the journey with the contestants.
“It was never a moment’s thought for me, because I’d get inspired,” Luke says. “I judge and I watch this like a fan of music. I mean, I’m in there on the emotional ride with these kids. When they start singing and they are moving me emotionally, I get wrapped up in the moment. I get wrapped up in the pageantry and the dreams coming true.”
Meanwhile, Luke continues to make his own country dreams come true. He just released “Most People Are Good” as the follow-up to his latest #1 hit, “Light It Up.”
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