Everything You Need To Know and How To Watch Season 20 Of ‘American Idol’

American Idol returns on Sunday, February 27 for its historic 20th season.  The new season promises to wow audiences and…

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Lauren Jo Black

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February 27, 2022

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American Idol – Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, Luke Bryan; Photo by Eric McCandless, ABC

American Idol returns on Sunday, February 27 for its historic 20th season. 

The new season promises to wow audiences and contestants with “never-before-seen” twists as they hunt for America’s next singing sensation. 

Here’s everything you need to know about the much-anticipated new season of American Idol

How and Where To Watch

American Idol airs on Sundays at 8/7c on ABC. 

Episodes will be available to watch on demand and on Hulu one day after the premiere.

ABC’s “American Idol” stars Ryan Seacrest, Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, Luke Bryan. (ABC, Gavin Bond)
ABC’s “American Idol” stars Ryan Seacrest, Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, Luke Bryan. (ABC, Gavin Bond)

Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie Return As Judges

Bryan, Perry and Richie will return for the fifth consecutive season as judges. Through the years, the judges have grown closer as friends and co-workers. 

“But over the years now, we trust each other to the point of we kind of know what we’re thinking, where we’re going with this,” Richie shared via Showbiz Cheat Sheet. “And then we’re finding talent where we can challenge ourselves because we now play with, ‘That was great for last year but not great for this year. Bump it up a little bit; keep it going.”

Ryan Seacrest Remains The Show’s Host

For the 20th consecutive season, Seacrest will host American Idol.

 

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by American Idol (@americanidol)

Jimmie Allen & Bebe Rexha Join Show After Bobby Bones Exit

With Bones out, American Idol revealed that Jimmie Allen and Bebe Rexha will join the show as visiting mentors for the Top 24.

“I cannot wait for you guys to see the talent we have in store for you,” Allen previously shared. 

“Excited to announce that I’ll be a visitor mentor on @americanidol for the enduring twentieth season!” Rexha added.

Auditions Took Place In Three Cities

Hosted in Nashville, Texas and Los Angeles, Idol judges use the audition round to search for “America’s next singing sensation.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CaegNXSFl6b/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Producers Introduce New Way To Advance To Hollywood, The Platinum Ticket

The newly introduced Platinum ticket ranks higher than the traditional golden ticket to Hollywood. There are only nine Platinum tickets given out during auditions. The ticket allows the contestant to advance and surpass the first week of Hollywood. 

“This ticket gives them the ability to go to Hollywood Week, which we’ve already filmed and was so rigorous and survival of the fittest, and they get to basically observe from the box seats at the theater,” Katy Perry explained. “One day, they get to rest their voice, strategize, check out the competition and select who they want to duet with.”

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Lauren Jo Black

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.