Luke Bryan Admits He ‘Checked out of Writing’ After Busy Last Year

Luke Bryan is a prolific songwriter, penning several of his own hits, including his current single, “What Makes You Country.” But after a busy 2018, which included his What Makes You Country Tour and his first run as a judge on American Idol, Bryan admits he songwriting stopped being a priority for him.

“After the last year, I checked out of writing, I didn’t really write like I needed to,” Bryan confessed to BuzzFeed News. “I’ve been so excited, the past month I’ve really been working with a lot of my songwriter friends and trying some new songwriters, and just really enjoying that. I do have some music recorded that I’m excited about, like really, really excited about.”

The Georgia native previously admitted it took him a while to start focusing on music after releasing What Makes You Country at the end of 2017.

“What’s funny is, I put an album out, I had Idol going on — pre-taping,” Bryan told ABC News Radio. “I had an album release. And I mean, I had so much going on, [that] I think, kinda, for the first time in my career, I just took about six legitimate months off of writing. And now, it’s interesting. The past month, I’ve really been excited to be back writing and creating.”

The lesson he learned is one he passes on to this season’s batch of Idol contestants.

“It’s funny, you’re either in this business or your not, and that’s what we tell these kids too,” Bryan said. “When you jump in it, you can’t be one foot in and one foot out, so I say that meaning I’m really focused on a new album and making the best album I can, and I’m excited to be excited about making the album.”

Bryan is also focused on Season 17 of American Idol, which is blowing him away by the talent he has already seen.

“We have some people that are so talented that I’ve had some of the producers of the show send me their auditions, just because I love to sit there and watch the auditions. They’re that good,” Bryan revealed. “I don’t want to give up too many secrets, but the beauty of it, what’s gotten me really pumped, is they’re so polished and they’re already artists in their own right. They have stories that are so intriguing that pull you in. The American Idol journey is about telling their stories and background.”

American Idol airs on Sunday nights at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

Photo Credit: ABC / Disney