‘American Idol’ Returns to Its Roots Enlisting Alumni Favorites as Hollywood Week Mentors

variety.com:

Michele Amabile Angermiller Hollywood Week has arrived on “American Idol,” which marks its 20th year on air this season. For that reason, several familiar faces are returning to the show tonight as mentors during Hollywood Week.Among the “Idol” alums reporting for duty on tonight’s episode, which was filmed in December, are: Season 7 winner David Cook, Season 10 runner-up Lauren Alaina, Season 2 winner Ruben Studdard, Season 9 winner Lee DeWyze, Season 10 second runner-up Haley Reinhart and Season 19 champ Chayce Beckham.“I always enjoy those opportunities,” says Cook, who mentored in the past on the show’s pre-ABC days and is always willing to assist up and coming artists. “It’s such a unique experience to go through.

And maybe I can help some of these kids navigate it a little easier.” While in the past the show featured appearances by Carrie Underwood and Adam Lambert, this move marks the first time since “Idol” rebooted on ABC in 2018 that former Idols are being brought back “help the new class,” longtime executive producer and showrunner Megan Michaels Wolflick tells Variety.“It’s like a sorority-fraternity, big brother-little sister kind of thing,” she explains. “It’s really cool because they’ve been through the process us and they understand Hollywood week.

A lot of them had their own iconic moments during Hollywood week.”“We’re like a big community, a big family,” adds Alaina. “We all have this like understanding of one another, because it is such a unique experience, and it is so life changing.

I think we all have a great appreciation for each other.”Alaina, who auditioned for the show 11 years ago — and has since parlayed that experience into a career that includes appearances on “Dancing with The Stars,” the.