‘American Idol’: David Cook, Lauren Alaina Mentor for Hollywood Week

Hollywood Week has arrived on “American Idol,” which marks its twentieth 12 months on air this season. For that purpose, a number of acquainted faces are returning to the present tonight as mentors throughout Hollywood Week.

Among the many “Idol” alums reporting for responsibility on tonight’s episode, which was filmed in December, are: Season 7 winner David Prepare dinner, 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 at all times take pleasure in these alternatives,” says Prepare dinner, who mentored prior to now on the present’s pre-ABC days and is at all times prepared to help up and coming artists. “It’s such a novel expertise to undergo. And perhaps I may help a few of these children navigate it somewhat simpler.”

Whereas prior to now the present featured appearances by Carrie Underwood and Adam Lambert, this transfer marks the primary time since “Idol” rebooted on ABC in 2018 that former Idols are being introduced again “assist the brand new class,” longtime government producer and showrunner Megan Michaels Wolflick tells Selection.

“It’s like a sorority-fraternity, huge brother-little sister form of factor,” she explains. “It’s actually cool as a result of they’ve been by means of the method they usually perceive Hollywood Week. Quite a lot of them had their very own iconic moments throughout Hollywood Week.”

“We’re an enormous group, an enormous household,” provides Alaina. “All of us have this understanding of each other, as a result of it’s such a novel expertise, and it’s so life-changing. I feel all of us have a terrific appreciation for one another.”

Alaina, who auditioned for the present 11 years in the past — and has since parlayed that have right into a profession that features appearances on “Dancing with The Stars,” the CBS present “Past the Edge,” Hallmark motion pictures, an induction into the Grand Ole Opry and a present tour — says she was prepared to assist as a result of, “I’ve actually been of their footwear [and] I understand how overwhelming it’s.”

“Fish out of water is one of the best ways to explain it as a result of regardless of how skilled you might be as a singer or a vocalist or a performer,” the nation singer continues. “For those who’ve by no means been on stay tv like that earlier than, it’s such a wild and superb expertise. It’s so nerve-wracking, even for individuals like me, I felt actually proud to have the ability to return and provides them some consolation greater than recommendation. I advised them each emotion that you just’ll really feel is legitimate. It’s loopy, however it’s so life altering.”

Wolflick says that bringing the alumni again as mentors to help throughout one of the crucial intense weeks of the competitors is a manner to assist the present class transfer forward. Viewers already acquired a style of this with former Idols like Season 11 winner Philip Phillips, Season 19 runner-up Willie Geist, Alaina zooming in to supply encouragement to contestants. Even Season 4 high 8 alum Nadia Turner returning (to her personal shock) to observe daughter, Zareh, audition and earn a Golden ticket to Hollywood.

“Who higher to work with them than somebody who’s been there earlier than who understands what it takes to get by means of Hollywood Week?” says Wolflick, who got here on board with the present in 2003 for Season 2. “Each one in all them leapt on the chance and was an absolute sure, instantly. They have been so enthusiastic about it. Everybody got here with bells on, they wished to do extra. What else can we do? They have been all so excited to be again and to fulfill these contestants.”

For some former Idols — like Studdard — returning was surreal. “For Ruben, who was on ‘American Idol in 2003, he’s working with contestants who weren’t even born then. This was a full-circle, loopy second to form of give again to the subsequent era.”

So how is that this going to work? Wolflick explains that every Idol will mentor in perspective classes — pop, rock, R&B and soul. For instance: Studdard will work with the R&B contestants, Prepare dinner will work with the rockers, Sparks mentors the pop class, Alaina with nation, Reinhart will work the soul class, whereas Beckham will supply recommendation and speak about his current expertise as an Idol winner.

Wolflick says every mentor introduced one thing completely different to the desk. “Ruben was very honed in on tune, selection and supply, whereas Lauren was targeted on working with a few of the youthful contestants. She may say I used to be 16 after I was on this present. So I perceive how you are feeling.”

Provides Prepare dinner: “I acquired to speak with them as a gaggle, after which I broke off with perhaps 5 – 6 of them to work with them by means of their songs. Anyone who’s watched the method, even on TV, you possibly can inform there’s quite a lot of expertise within the room and I feel the individuals that may differentiate themselves are sometimes those that may hone that expertise into making a second of their performances. You solely have a minute or two to sway a decide or to get someone’s consideration. It’s crucial that you just take these alternatives once they come up.”

Along with advising contestants to search out “moments of their songs” to intensify, Prepare dinner — who has launched a number of albums, starred in Kinky Boots on Broadway and lately launched his second EP, “The Trying Glass” — was additionally laser-focused on the psychological well being of the hopefuls.

“Hollywood Week, particularly, is quite a lot of work and never quite a lot of sleep,” Prepare dinner says. “All people goes into all of it excited, [and] by the tip of the week, all people’s so frazzled. That’s while you begin to see the tears and the meltdowns and all that. So, I used to be making an attempt to assist them navigate that too– the psychological, psychological facet of simply how loopy Hollywood Week might be.”

Prepare dinner additionally tried to work with the expertise on their stay efficiency, as some had restricted expertise exterior of small gigs and social media.

“I attempted to be of service, mentioning, ‘You’ve acquired the expertise to do that, and I perceive the cameras and the lights and all of that may very well be very distracting, notably for those who’re not used to performing stay in these settings with no internet,’” he says. “‘You’re right here for a purpose, so simply be assured in your area and let all the opposite stuff that’s occurring round you go. It’s all peripheral. It’s all noise. As a performer, it’s your job and your duty to personal that area.’”

And what of the cardinal sin of Hollywood Week — forgetting the lyrics?

“Having been on the opposite facet of it, I can empathize with the lyric factor,” says Prepare dinner with fun. “It’s not at all times the simplest. I do know Archie (runner-up David Archuleta) and I each tousled lyrics at one level or one other, and I do know there have been others all through our season, however I feel I used to be lucky sufficient to have had expertise forgetting lyrics prior to now and determining a technique to sort pretend your manner by means of it.”

Affords Alaina: “The beauty of ‘Idol’ is it offers you fairly prompt fame, however it doesn’t essentially provide you with prompt success. Success needs to be earned. You must work for it. I’ve been working for all the things I’ve for 11 years. I attempted to not overwhelm them as a result of that is so early on, however I did attempt to inform them like, that is only the start, do your job right here — after which your profession begins after. … I wouldn’t have the issues I’ve with out Idol and the onerous work. It takes each.”