Robert D. Thompson 
A great escape from the ubiquitous news is the return of american idolthe All-Star Singing Contest airs Sunday nights on ABC.
The super-entertaining show that took off into the stratosphere 20 seasons ago (launched on Fox) has spawned dozens of TV talent contests. Now american idol is back for its fifth season in its home on ABC with Emmy-winning producer and host Ryan Seacrest, and superstar judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie.
the Idol Seacrest’s team Bryan, Perry and Richie, along with executive producer Megan Michaels Wolflick, spoke to the Television Critics Association (TCA). During the virtual interview session, they revealed what it takes to find out about America’s next singing sensation.
This season, the judges will be handing out platinum tickets in Austin, Los Angeles and Nashville. Katy Perry explained, “We identify the best talent in each location, and basically this ticket gives them the opportunity to go to Hollywood Week, which we’ve already filmed. It was so rigorous, survival of the fittest. They can basically watch from the box seats in the theater. One day they can rest their voice, strategize, check out the competition, and select who they want to duet with. So these three ticket holders get a little edge, just because they’re the crème de la crème.
What was the difference between singers who got platinum tickets and those who got gold? Lionel Richie said: “For me it was just the fact that they are just natural. Some people go out and they are stars. They have all the boxes checked. You know, the stage presence, the delivery, their sound, what their style is, they have it all there. So when they open their mouths, you know exactly who they are: the artist. It just rings that bell. And when that happens, you give them the platinum ticket as fast as you can.
Luke Bryan said, “Song selection is key. It tells us who they are as an artist. This tells us how sharp they are as artists. This tells us how well they know where they want to take their careers. When they rock and roll and make great song choices. It really shows who they want to be as artists.
Perry noted the missteps for the american idol wannabes is when “some of them say, ‘I’m going to pick an Ariana Grande song,’ and then they sound nothing like Ariana Grande.”
american idol, premiered its 20th season on February 27 and airs Sundays at 8 p.m. on ABC. Watch episodes on demand and on Hulu after they premiere.
