‘American Idol’ loves to deliver major twists but this one definitely took all the viewers by surprise
'American Idol' has always been a family-friendly show, and whenever festivities have been around the corner, 'Idol' has made it a point to feature a special episode for it. Staying true to its roots, the annual singing show is hosting a three-hour special episode titled 'Songs of Faith' on April 20, which also happens to be Easter. The show will finally return to its regular studio after the judges and the contestants performed in Hawaii for three days. People magazine has reported that the show is set to feature performances by artists like "Grammy winner CeCe Winans, alongside Idol alums Roman Collins, Jelly Roll, Brandon Lake and The Brown Four."
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That said, the judges won't hold themselves back either, as the trio is set to have their own solo performances as well. While most of the seasons of 'American Idol' do have performances by the judges at some point, season 23 has yet to do that. This 'Songs of Faith' episode will have all three judges, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie, have their own solo performances. While 'Idol' fans have seen Bryan and Richie sing before, Underwood is the latest addition to the show, with season 23 being her first time as a judge on 'Idol.'
While this will be a three-hour-long episode centered around faith and Easter, this won't deter the contestants from competing and moving to the next round. As reported by Good Housekeeping, the contestants will sing songs "inspired by their faith" as well as move to the next round. The guest artists all bring something new to the table as well. CeCe Winans is a 17-time Grammy-winning singer and gospel music icon who will minister in the three-hour-long episode.
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Joining Winans will be other renowned artists such as Brandon Lake, a Christian worship singer and worship pastor, along with a familiar face, Roman Collins, a past contestant of 'American Idol' from season 22. Finally, this legendary trio will be joined by 'The Brown Four,' which is a gospel quartet, along with Jelly Roll, who is set to be season 23's 'Artist in Residence.' Jelly Roll made his debut on April 7 in a hilarious video with Ryan Seacrest, as posted on American Idol's YouTube.
Seacrest embraced Jelly Roll in the video as he went on to state, "You're shaping America's future." Jelly Roll replied, "Yes, and I feel like I'm giving them the energy they need. I'm uplifting and trying to get them going." He then hilariously added, "Speaking of someone, I'm going," as he lifted Seacrest on his shoulders and continued to walk. Needless to say, Jelly Roll is a hilarious yet powerful addition to the show, serving as a guest mentor for the contestants. With his performance lined up, along with the other hard-hitting acts, 'Songs of Faith' will truly be an episode to behold.
