Watch Luke Bryan Sing New Single, ‘Sunrise, Sunburn, Sunset’ on ‘American Idol’ Finale

Luke Bryan introduced a new song, “Sunrise, Sunburn, Sunset” on Monday, May 21, as part of the American Idol finale. The song is from Bryan’s recent What Makes You Country album.

Bryan joked, “Finally, I get to sing for you guys,” as the crowd cheered, before launching into “Most People Are Good” as a duet with finalist Gabby Barrett. “Most People Are Good” became Bryan’s 20th No. 1 hit.

“Sunrise, Sunburn, Sunset,” which says, “Sunrise, sunburn, sunset, repeat / Moonlight, all night, crashing into me / Nothing will ever be easy as you and me / Tangled up with nowhere to be / Just sunrise, sunburn, sunset, repeat / Sunrise, sunburn, sunset, repeat,” is the perfect way to kick off summer, which for Bryan includes several stadium concerts as part of his What Makes You Country Tour: XL Stadium Sized.

“My excitement to play these iconic sports stadiums is truly uncontainable,” Bryan shares. “Playing my music live is the reason I do what I do and the energy of the fans is what pushes me year after year to deliver a bigger and better experience.”

Bryan will return for Season 17 of American Idol, along with fellow judges Katy Perry and Lionel Richie.

“I’m speaking for them and for me,” says Bryan. “I think we’re having a blast. I’m having a blast. And it hits on all the emotions. That we get to go make albums, tour, and then we get to do this too. This is so fun to come and watch these kids grow. I’ll tell you what, a couple of months in, it made me want to sit down at the piano and start writing, because it’s very inspiring.”

Although the Georgia native is happy to return, he admits it hasn’t been an easy job.

“It’s a little out of my comfort zone to just pick people apart, but you have to. It’s what you signed up for,” he says. “I remember our first day on set … and when somebody doesn’t need to make it through, there’s no way around, you’ve got to say no. I’m like, ‘Oh God, I gotta tell ’em no …,’ but then when you learn after 14-hour days of filming, you’re like, ‘No! It’s time to get the next person in!’”

Maddie Poppe was crowned the American Idol winner, beating out Caleb Lee Hutchinson and Gabby Barrett to take home the grand prize.

Photo Credit: Instagram/lukebryan