Scotty McCreery Prepares For A ‘Fun’ Return To ‘American Idol’ [Exclusive]

Scotty McCreery returns to the American Idol stage this Sunday, April 28 to perform his fast-rising single, “Cab In A Solo.”

The country star got his start on the singing competition show in 2011 back when he was just 17 years old. Since being crowned the ultimate champion of Season 10, McCreery has been welcomed back to the show several times to perform songs from his ever-growing catalog.

McCreery Reflects On The Opportunity To Return To The Show

This weekend, he will showcase his current single, “Cab In A Solo,” which is on its way to becoming a chart-topping hit and has already captured the hearts of many fans with its relatable storyline paired with McCreery’s charming baritone vocals. 

“It’s fun. Especially as ‘Cab In A Solo’ is kind of starting to peak on the charts…So it’ll be fun to play that on TV show where I got started,” he told Country Now during an interview at Live In The Vineyard Goes Country 2024. 

Written by McCreery, Frank Rogers and Brent Anderson and produced by Rogers, Derek Wells, and Aaron Eshuis, the nostalgia-laced tune outlines the events of a man witnessing his ex moving on with someone new after a failed attempt to win her over. The song is set to appear on his next album, Rise and Fall, dropping on May 10. 

@countrynow.com @Scotty McCreery singing his chart-rising single, “Cab In A Solo” at #liveinthevineyard. 🍷 #scottymccreery #countrymusic ♬ original sound – CountryNow.com

Looking Forward To Connecting With The Current Contestants

In addition to putting his vocals on display, the North Carolina native admits he is also eager to connect with the Season 22 Top 10 contestants. 

“I’m always happy to chat and help them any way I can. I mean, it’s a ringer they put you through on Idol. Any of those TV shows, not just Idol. It’s a lot at once and you’ve got to just do your best to get through it and sound good and pick great songs and look confident,” he explained before adding, “If I can help, I love doing that stuff.”

Another country star who will be making an appearance on the upcoming Sunday night airing of Idol is Shania Twain. It was recently announced that the female icon will serve as a guest mentor to the current round of contestants.

Fans can catch both country stars on American Idol this Sunday, April 28 when it airs live on ABC at 8 pm ET / 5 pm PT and streamed on Hulu.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by American Idol (@americanidol)

New Song “Lonely” Available Now

In anticipation of the official release of his upcoming album, McCreery has given fans one final glimpse into the collection with his newest song, “Lonely.” The slow-tempo tune finds the newest Grand Ole Opry member taking a break from his typical love songs to deliver a dusty, late-night heartbreak portrayal. 

“I love a good heartbreak, honky-tonk country song, and ‘Lonely’ is definitely that,” said McCreery. “Brent, Derek, Frank, Bobby, Jeremy, Monty and I had such a good time writing this song on my back porch in the mountains of North Carolina. This song is so much fun to perform live and have the audience sing along with us. I’ve had a lot of requests from fans who’ve heard this song on the road to put it out on streaming. Here you go!” 

Listen To “Lonely”

“Lonely” is the sixth song released from the upcoming album, following lead single “Cab in a Solo” and tracks including “Red Letter Blueprint,” “Slow Dance,” “Can’t Pass the Bar” and “Love Like This.” 

Scotty McCreery recently celebrated a career milestone when he was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry with two of his musical heroes, Josh Turner and Randy Travis, by his side. He will return to the coveted circle on May 11 to commemorate the unveiling of one of his most personal records to date.