‘American Idol’ Contestant Brings Luke Bryan To Tears In New Sneak Peek

“This is the first time that just someone singing made me cry,” Bryan admits.

Lauren Jo Black

| Posted on

January 5, 2021

3:35 pm

Luke Bryan

American Idol is set to return to ABC on Valentine’s Day and the network is giving fans a sneak peek of the much-anticipated new season.

In the just-released preview, Luke Bryan is brought to tears over a contestant’s voice during auditions. This marks a first for the country superstar, who admits, “nothing is more exciting than just a raw talent.”

Bryan can been seen holding back tears as an unnamed contestant belts out the lyrics to Aretha Franklin’s 1967 classic, “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.”

“This is the first time that just someone singing made me cry,” the “Down To One” singer confesses.

It’s the Idols for me 😎✨! New @AmericanIdol coming at y’all on February 14th! pic.twitter.com/IYkmVGQ5mB

— Lionel Richie (@LionelRichie) January 5, 2021

American Idol will return for its fourth season at ABC on Sunday, February 14, 2021. The new season finds the show returning to full production, following last season’s COVID shutdown, which forced showrunners to complete the season with at-home performances and judge commentary.

The upcoming season will feature returning judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, in-house mentor Bobby Bones and longtime host Ryan Seacrest.

Written by

Lauren Jo Black

Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.