“Glad to be a part of the Idol family for the rest of the season,” Jelly Roll said as he made his grand entrance on the show.

Luke Bryan, Jelly Roll, Carrie Underwood and Lionel Richie; Photo Courtesy of American Idol via ABC

Jelly Roll made his official debut on American Idol on Sunday (April 6) during the “Showstoppers” round as the first-ever “Artist In Residence.”

Jelly Roll Makes Grand Entrance On American Idol As “Artist In Residence”

American Idol judge Lionel Richie welcomed the genre-bending superstar to the stage in front of the Idol hopefuls, comprised of Olivier Bergeron, Baylee Littrell, Crews Wright, Bryson Quick, Breanna Nix, Sonny Tennet, Nina Daig, Slater Nalley, John Foster, Clara Rae, Kam’Ron and more.

“We thought we would bring in a little extra support. He’s going to be with us all season long to navigate the ups and the downs of what you are about to go through,” Richie explained before introducing Jelly Roll to the stage.

“Welcome back!” Richie added, referencing Jelly Roll’s return to Idol after previously performing and serving as a mentor in prior seasons of the popular singing competition show.

“Glad to be back! Glad to be a part of the Idol family for the rest of the season. We’ve got a mountain in front of us, and we don’t have a lot of time to deal with it. Y’all ready for tonight or what? It’s going to be a long one,” Jelly Roll told the remaining Idol contestants, who were seated in the crowd of the historic Orpheum Theatre.

The “Heart Of Stone” Singer Speaks Out

Ahead of making his official debut on Idol as the “Artist In Residence,” Jelly Roll opened up about the experience in an interview, telling Billboard, “Hollywood Week is even more chaotic than what you see on TV.” He continued to explain his new role, “It’s fun. I’m glad we’re talking about this, because I look at my role probably different than anybody else does. I think I am the bridge from these young artists to the people’s living room. I am a bridge between them and the judges. I’m a constant mentor and source of advice, but more than anything, my job is to try to make these kids feel as good as I know they sound.”

In the interview with the outlet, Jelly Roll even detailed some of the behind-the-scenes of filming the show. “The episodes are pretty chaotic, but the camera can’t catch all of the chaos,” he told the outlet. “I love it because it reminds me of the music business. It’s real. They’re not hazing these kids. This is stuff that happens in our business all the time. I can’t wait for the world to see this – the show brings me in when the kids are picking their head-to-head songs, so I am in the trenches with these babies. I watch them pick their songs. I give them advice and I catch them picking their partners. Some of them probably picked the wrong partner.”

Jelly Roll Serving As “Artist In Residence” On American Idol; Photo Courtesy of ABC

American Idol Producer Weighs In On Why They Picked Jelly Roll For This Role

Idol’s executive producer and showrunner Megan Michaels Wolflick discussed with the outlet why the show decided to add Jelly Roll into the mix.

“He was so great last year. He sat with the panel, and he brought so much charisma and excitement. When the show aired, the feedback was very positive and we and ABC were eager to do something with him,” Wolflick admitted. “I’m sure every other show, like The Voice, were asking him too. He’s very hot. He loves American Idol. He told me, ‘This is one of the biggest things to ever happen to my career.’ He literally watched every single tape. He watched every single bio. He took the kids off to the side before going on camera and made them feel comfortable. I’ve never experienced mentoring on this level. I think carving out his role on the live shows is going to be interesting, too.”

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Wolflick also shared why Idol created this new “Artist In Residence” role, explaining, “The word mentor seemed a little cliché and I wanted something with some weight. An artist-in-residence matches the gravitas that he has. He’s there with us all season. Hopefully he’s here for the long haul. He’s invested above and beyond what we would really expect of him.”

Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood, Jelly Roll, Luke Bryan; Photo Courtesy of American Idol via ABC

First Revealed As The “Artist In Residence” Earlier This Year

Jelly Roll was officially announced as the first-ever “Artist In Residence” for American Idol back in February 2025. The reveal came via an exciting YouTube video, where the chart-topping singer/songwriter appeared alongside longtime Idol host Ryan Seacrest to share the news with viewers.

“I’m American Idol‘s ‘Artist in Residence!’” Jelly Roll exclaimed at the time, before explaining to Seacrest that he “feels good” about his new role on the show.

Seacrest then told Jelly Roll that he feels like he is “shaping America’s future” both as an artist in the spotlight and with this new mentorship role. “And I feel like I’m giving them the energy they need. I’m uplifting and trying to get ’em goin’!” the “Son Of A Sinner” singer added.

Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood, Jelly Roll, Luke Bryan; Photo Courtesy of American Idol via ABC

According to a press release, Jelly Roll will be “a permanent fixture this season and will work closely with the Idol hopefuls, giving them firsthand advice on how to navigate the journey” as an “Artist In Residence.”

American Idol airs every Monday and Tuesday at 8/7c on ABC Network.