After Katy Perry praised her replacement Carrie Underwood for having a lot to offer as a judge because she was a winner on the show in American Idol season 4, American Idol season 23 has announced that country superstar Jelly Roll will be the reality singing competition series' first-ever "artist in residence." Jelly Roll appeared as a mentor during American Idol season 22's Hawaii Week in 2024, and he was considered a strong contender to replace Katy as a judge.

Jelly Roll will American Idol season 23 as the show's first-ever "artist in residence."

According to Variety, Jelly Roll will American Idol season 23 as the show's first-ever "artist in residence." He'll debut on the show during the Hollywood Week episodes, and then make appearances throughout the rest of the season. Variety reported that ABC stated that Jelly Roll will become "a permanent fixture this season and will work closely with the Idol hopefuls, giving them firsthand advice on how to navigate the journey."

What Jelly Roll’s New Role Means For American Idol Season 23

Jelly Roll Will Return To Mentor The Contestants

When Jelly Roll appeared as an American Idol season 22 mentor, many fans immediately began to campaign for him to take Katy's seat at the judging table. Even Katy herself said that Jelly Roll would make an amazing judge, and he also expressed that he'd love to take on the role.

However, this new "artist in residence" role might be even better suited for Jelly Roll as it sounds more like a mentoring role than a judging one. Jelly Roll was a fantastic mentor in American Idol season 22, so it'll be exciting to see him continue to offer advice to the contestants, this time over an extended period of time.

Our Take On American Idol’s "Artist In Residence"

Jelly Roll Was A Great Choice For The Role

The new American Idol "artist in residence" role sounds similar to the in-house mentors from earlier seasons, who included record executive Jimmy Iovine (seasons 10-12), former American Idol judge, musician, and record executive Randy Jackson (season 13), record executive Scott Borchetta (seasons 14 and 15), and radio host Bobby Bones (seasons 16-19). Jelly Roll was a great choice for this role because he is currently going through a meteoric rise to fame, which is the hope for the American Idol contestants as well.

The only downside to Jelly Roll being the "artist in residence" is that, like judges Luke Bryan and Carrie, he's also from the country music genre. Judge Lionel Richie is now the only person in a major role on the show that represents a different music genre. Fans have been complaining for years that American Idol has become more like Country Idol, with so many country music contestants and winners, and adding Jelly Roll to the show will contribute even more to it. However, Jelly Roll will be very entertaining on the show, with his cheerful personality and impressive talent.

American Idol season 23 premieres on Sunday, March 9 at 8 p.m. EST on ABC.

Source: Variety