How ‘American Idol’ Judges Really Feel About Hearing Their Songs in Auditions

Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie heard a lot of “American Idol” hopefuls in the audition room and there’s a good likelihood they heard their songs performed. One hopeful had success with an Underwood song, but that’s not always the case.

‘American Idol’ Hopefuls Don’t Always ‘Nail It’ in the Audition

During a March 5 interview on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” Underwood, Bryan, and Richie gave some inside perspective on what the “Idol” auditions are really like.

“Do they ever do your songs, to kind of butter you up a little bit?” Fallon asked. The judges shared that when contestants audition with one of their songs, it can be dicey. Sometimes it goes well — other times, not so much.

“They think it’s to compliment us, but some days we’re praying, ‘Please God, just let them be able to sing it,'” Richie noted. “And sometimes they nail it and sometimes it goes south real fast.”

During the “American Idol” season 23 premiere on March 9, one hopeful sang Underwood’s hit “Jesus, Take the Wheel.” For Breanna Nix, singing one of the judge’s songs paid off. Underwood told her, “You did a really great job” and the singer was given a ticket to Hollywood.

‘Idol’ Judges Are Sick of Some Audition Songs: ‘Don’t Do It’

In a March 2025 interview with Entertainment Weekly, the judges also shared that there are some audition songs they’re tired of hearing.

“I’ve got mine that if you start singing it, I’ll start having shakes and hives and I’m close to passing out,” Richie said.

He continued, “It didn’t happen this time — ‘It’s a Man’s World,’ which I’ve heard for seven years. When they start singing ‘It’s a Man’s World,’ I go, ‘Don’t do it. It’s not gonna work.'”

Despite his aversion to hearing the song, Richie admitted that sometimes it does work out. “Twice they did ‘It’s a Man’s World,’ and twice they made it their song,” he said. “You wouldn’t know it was ‘[It’s] a Man’s World.'”

For Bryan, it was the Harry Styles song “Watermelon Sugar” that started to wear on him.

He asked host Ryan Seacrest, “We heard that how many times, Ryan? Listen, perfectly great song, but we were just like, watermelon sugar, high,” he said. 

Seacrest also shared some of the musical influences for the new season of singers.

“I’ve heard them say a couple times, and this is new this year, that they’re influenced by Chappell Roan. That’s one of the big influences this yeah,” he said. “More Tate McRae too. We had a little bit of that in the past, but I’ve heard Tate and Chappell from some of the other contestants.”