Jelly Roll shares why one ‘American Idol’ judge became his biggest inspiration: 'Has no ego...'
Jason Bradley DeFord, a.k.a. Jelly Roll, has been a consistent part of 'American Idol' as a guiding figure for the contestants. However, this year his role expanded to First-Ever Artist in Residence, and Roll has since been on an emotional roller coaster mentoring aspiring idols. During a special appearance on 'The Jennifer Hudson Show,' the 'Winning Streak' hitmaker revealed that he admired one particular judge on the reality talent show, as per Entertainment Now. “Deeper than just ‘American Idol,’ he has been nothing short of a mentor to me,” Roll gushed about Luke Bryan.
He continued, “I wish more established artists had the mentality Luke has of just wanting to help people. He has no ego; he’ll show up for you in any capacity. Luke has a servant’s heart, man. And you see that on the show, he’s there trying to help these kids as much as I am.” He added, “And I’ll be honest, Ms. Hudson. I have been in a situation where nobody showed up for me. And if you’ve been in a place in life where nobody shows up for you, anytime you get a chance to show up for people, you show up with bells and whistles!”
Roll expressed his gratitude for returning every year on the show to mentor his "jelly babies." He referred to himself as privileged to have the opportunity to influence the young artists' future. The 'Halfway to Hell' rapper confessed that he was initially skeptical about Carrie Underwood filling Katy Perry's shoes. Roll admitted that he had been a huge fan of the 'Dark Horse' singer's mentoring style. However, after witnessing the former Idol winner taking center stage on the judge's seat, he couldn't stop raving about it. "She is absolutely killing it!" he expressed. Calling Lionel Richie and Bryan's camaraderie "spirit of brotherhood," Roll admitted that the duo were hysterical on and off the camera and also shared a special bond.
During the same episode, Bryan had equally positive words to share about his friend. “He’s so inspiring,” the country icon lauded Roll. “He’s like everybody’s preacher. When you leave Jelly Roll’s presence, you’re like, I mean, he lights up the room; you feel his heart.” He continued to add that the 'Save Me' rapper has been like an extra dream mentor for the contestants. Bryan said that Roll's distinct experience in the music business has been "uplifting" for the participants while also motivating him to become a better version of himself. "Like I said, Jelly Roll uplifts me. He gets me waking up wanting to be better. We're honored to have him on there; he's a blast to be around," he said.
Roll made his debut on 'American Idol' during Hollywood Week, and the ABC network described his role on the show as "a permanent fixture," as per TVInsider. “He will work closely with the Idol hopefuls, giving them firsthand advice on how to navigate the journey,” it stated in a press release. Roll previously mentored the top 24 during the Hawaiian Round of season 22.