Jelly Roll Joins ‘American Idol’ as First-Ever ‘Artist in Residence’ (EXCLUSIVE) – Variety
By
Michael Schneider
Variety Editor at Large
Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Jelly Roll has sealed a deal to join this upcoming season of ABC’s “American Idol” as the show’s first-ever “artist in residence.” According to the network, the Nashville artist will join the show during its “Hollywood Week” episodes, and then continue to appear throughout the season.
Jelly Roll previously served last season as a guest mentor and performer on “Idol,” appearing on the show during its visit last year to Disney’s Aulani Resort in Hawai’i. This time, as the first-ever “American Idol” “artist in residence,” Jelly Roll will become “a permanent fixture this season and will work closely with the Idol hopefuls, giving them firsthand advice on how to navigate the journey.”
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Jelly Roll’s arrival comes as “American Idol” also undergoes its first change at the judges’ table in seven years — the first since the show’s move to ABC. Carrie Underwood joins the “American Idol” judges, replacing Katy Perry along side Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan.
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“American Idol” Season 23 (its eighth on the Alphabet net) premieres Sunday, March 9, on ABC (streaming the next day on Hulu). A special preview of the new season will air following the Oscars telecast on Sunday, March 2. Here’s a first look at Jelly Roll meeting up with “Idol” host Ryan Seacrest to celebrate his new (jelly) role on the show:
Jelly Roll — real name Jason DeFored — last year released his latest album “Beautifully Broken,” which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart and earned critical raves. In 2023, he released the album “Whitsitt Chapel” to top sales.
Jelly Roll’s Grammy noms include the 2025 nod in best country song and best country solo for “I Am Not Okay,” and best new artist in 2024, as well as best duo/group performance for “Save Me” with Launey Wilson. He earned three wins at the 2023 CMT Music Awards and scored Billboard’s 2023 Breakthrough Award and the People’s Choice Award for Male Country Artist of the Year.
His hit single “Save Me” earned a platinum certification from the RIAA and spent 28 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s Emerging Artists chart; it also won an ACM award for Music Event of the year. That additionally led to the ABC News documentary “Save Me.”
Here’s a look at some of Jelly Roll’s highlights as a guest mentor last season:
“American Idol” comes from Fremantle and Sony Pictures TV’s 19 Entertainment. Megan Wolflick is exec producer/showrunner, while Eli Holzman and Aaron Saidman are executive producers for 19 Entertainment. Fremantle distributes the series worldwide.
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Source: https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/jelly-roll-american-idol-artist-in-residence-1236295999/
