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Luke Bryan can’t believe one Grammy winner was rejected 7 times on 'American Idol': "We don’t always..."

Country music legend Luke Bryan once admitted he and the other judges once got it wrong with a talent who went on to win a Grammy.

From Kelly Clarkson to Jennifer Hudson, ABC's 'American Idol' has been a haven for aspiring singers, nurturing them and helping them make it big in the music industry. Past winner Carrie Underwood now all set to judge the show, adds more weight to the claim. However, there have also been times when the show refused great talents, who are now creating waves across the music industry. Reflecting on such an incident, country music legend Luke Bryan once admitted he and the other judges once got it wrong with a talent who went on to win a Grammy.

The singer in discussion is Lainey Wilson, who failed to crack the 'American Idol' audition seven times. Every time Wilson failed to advance beyond the Hollywood Week round, as per Country Now. While co-hosting 'Country Countdown' USA, Wilson reflected on her journey on 'American Idol.' She said, "I finally made it on 'American Idol'. I tried out seven times and took the long way around but never made it past the first round."

While Wilson's journey to success despite being rejected is inspirational, Bryan was left shocked when he learned she was rejected seven times. In a conversation with host Lon Helton, Bryan said, "I didn’t know that; that was the first time I heard that, but I’ll go see my producers today and find out what happened." Bryan praised Wilson for not letting the setbacks affect her. He added, "I’m glad she didn’t take the Idol letdown to heart." He concluded by acknowledging that Wilson’s rejection proved, "We don’t always get it right."

Wilson is not the only one who couldn't land a spot on 'American Idol.' Bebe Rexha is another talent that was rejected on the show. While promoting her August 2017 EP 'All Your Fault' Part 2 on 'American Idol,' Rexha opened up about her early experience with the show, as per Newsweek. The singer shared, "It was always my dream to be on 'American Idol.' And I auditioned one time and I didn't get through." The revelation, made during a live crowd, had co-host Ryan Seacrest and judge Randy Jackson, completely dumbfounded. He said, "Let's hold an audition right now. You would get through. I think you would get through."

However, Rexha, interrupting him, quickly added with a laugh, "But I didn't get through." She then turned to Jackson and explained, "I didn't get [through] to you. I was with my mom. We waited, like, 12 hours." Seacrest added, "I feel like all the records I'm playing have you on it... [so] it all worked out," acknowledging her continued success despite the setback.

Rexha also revisited her 'American Idol' journey in 2018, when she announced her role as a mentor on the show. She shared on X (Twitter), "10 years ago, my mother and I waited 10 hours in line to audition for 'American Idol.' I didn't make it through. This year I'm mentoring!"