‘American Idol’: Did ‘The Voice’ Coach Blake Shelton Help Convince Luke Bryan to Judge on the Show?
Luke Bryan had some reality show experience before American Idol. He helped Blake Shelton’s team on The Voice in Season 12. When Bryan was offered to be a judge on American Idol he reached out to Shelton. Did he convince Bryan to judge on the show? Here is everything you need to know.
Bryan has a connection to Season 11 winner, Phillip Phillips
Before taking the judge role, Bryan talked to Phillip Phillips. The Season 11 winner and Bryan have a cool connection.
“We’ve spoken many times certainly since he won Idol,” Bryan told Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest. He revealed that he talked to the winner while he was in negotiations to judge on the competition show. The negotiation only took two days before he accepted the offer.
Bryan and Phillips are actually from the same hometown, Leesburg, Ga. The established country singer publicly rooted for Phillips when he was on the show in a video.
“When I found out there was a Leesburg boy doing well on American Idol, I’ve been watching every episode. It’s truly amazing watching your climb,” he said according to Taste of Country. “I’m pulling for you buddy!”
Phillips isn’t the only celebrity that Bryan consulted before taking the job. He talked to The Voice star, Blake Shelton.
Bryan said Shelton told him he’s going to love judging on American Idol
The country singer revealed that he got Shelton’s perspective when he was in talks for joining the show. It turns out that Shelton had nothing but good things to say.
“When I found out that Idol was interested in me being a judge, certainly I called Blake, and he’s like, ‘Man, you’re going to love it. It’s right up your alley.’ He spoke of how much he’s enjoying his role with The Voice,” Luke Bryan told Us Weekly.
The good news is that his friend didn’t steer him wrong. Bryan continued, “And he was right. I’ve enjoyed it. It’s a new element in your life. It’s a new challenge. It’s tackling something new, and you learn a lot about entertainment throughout the whole process.”
Shelton said he didn’t give Bryan advice on how to judge
The Voice star has a great winning record on the show and has stayed there from Season 1. If you’re going to get judging advice from anyone, it should be him. However, Shelton said he didn’t give him any advice.
“I don’t know that he asked for my advice but we had a lot of conversations about him joining Idol,” Shelton told Entertainment Tonight. “And I guess in a way I gave him my thoughts on it and how I felt about it on behalf of him.”
The singer might have helped him out with salary negotiations. Shelton continued, “I’m sure the executives at ABC are really pissed at me right now for what they probably had to pay him to get him on that show. But good for you, Luke!”
It sounds like Luke Bryan was already on board to join American Idol but still talked to his country friends before accepting the offer.
Read more: ‘American Idol’: Will ’90 Day Fiancé’ Star, Evelyn Cormier Return to Her Family’s Band After the Show?
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