American Idol Standout Will Moseley Recalls Meeting His ‘Hero’ Jelly Roll In Gratitude-Filled Message
“They say never meet your heroes, but I did and you are still just that. My hero!”

Will Moseley, Jelly Roll; Photo Courtesy Instagram
Former college football player Will Moseley had the opportunity to meet his musical hero, Jelly Roll, this week on American Idol, and their interaction was nothing short of amazing.
Meeting His Hero
The 23-year-old, who hails from the small town of Hazlehurst, Georgia, took to social media to share his thoughts on meeting the American Idol mentor in a heartfelt post, conveying a message filled with gratitude to the award-winning country star.
“Jelly, Thank You for treating me like a human when I was really just being a fan,” Moseley began.
He went on to praise the “Halfway To Hell” singer for being so down to Earth and for offering him words of wisdom amid the competition.
“You are the best person I’ve ever met! Thank you for all of the advice, and I hope that we can sit down together again! You’re the man,” he wrote. “They say never meet your heroes, but I did and you are still just that. My hero!”
Mentored By Tori Kelly
During the episode, which was filmed at Disney’s Aulani Resort in Hawaii, the contestant also received valuable advice from this season’s other mentor, Tori Kelly. He said he felt “blessed” to be mentored by the singer.

“Favorite” Performance Of The Night
For his performance, Moseley once again earned high praise from fans and the judges alike with his performance of Otis Redding’s “Sittin’ On The Dock Of The Bay.” This performance showcased his unique, raspy vocals and earned a standing ovation from Tori Kelly and the panel of judges, including Luke Bryan, Katy Perry, and Lionel Richie.
In fact, Bryan declared that Moseley’s performance was his “favorite of the night.”
Kelly admitted, “Your voice makes me feel safe. He makes me feel safe and warm, and you look like a seasoned pro. That was amazing!”
Richie recalled the Georgia native’s audition when he immediately knew Moseley was a star.
“When we met the first time at Luke’s hometown, I gave you about six seconds, but that’s all I needed. Singers do karaoke. Stylists, you can hear the voice in five seconds,” he explained. “I heard your voice. I know who you are. That is one signature voice you have my friend, and I’m saying to everybody out there, vote, vote, vote!”
Perry agreed with Luke Bryan and told the contestant, “Luke and I were just commiserating. We’re like, that was the best performance of the night. We both agree that was the most solid performance.”

Bryan wrapped up the judges’ commentary and said he believes Will Moseley’s authenticity will also help him go far within the competition.
“You sat down and you delivered just exactly what you are. We just saw Ian Tongi and he won this thing by being authentic, by singing the songs that tell his story. And man, that performance will really put you in a big time contention in this whole competition, in my opinion.”
Moseley is certainly a standout contestant. Fans can tune in to American Idol this Sunday and Monday on ABC to find out where he stands.
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.