Luke Bryan Moved to Tears in ‘American Idol’ Preview

The new season of American Idol begins in February, and Luke Bryan is already getting emotional. In a sneak peek of Season 19, the country star can be seen getting emotional in his judges’ chair, sharing that he was moved to tears after a contestant’s rendition of Aretha Franklin’s “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.”

“This is the first time that just someone singing made me cry,” Bryan said after fellow judge Katy Perry was shown wiping away tears. In a confessional, the “One Margarita” singer added that “nothing is more exciting than just a raw talent.” Perry and Bryan will again be joined by third judge Lionel Richie, who noted, “These kids bring to us so much hope.” “Sometimes all people need is that one person that tells them that they can and then, boom,” Perry said.

This season, the show will return to full production, albeit with a number of safety precautions in place due to the coronavirus pandemic. Season 18 of Idol was also affected by the pandemic and the latter half was conducted remotely in early 2020. “It’s so exciting to be back doing the show at its normal scale,” host Ryan Seacrest says in the clip.

In September, Bryan told Entertainment Tonight that he and his fellow judges would be together in-person when Season 19 returns. “We will be in person together,” he said. “One big happy, crazy family giving Lionel anxiety.”

The show gave fans a preview of the judges’ reunion during ABC’s Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest with a video of Perry and Bryan performing a song called “2020 Sucks” as Richie looked on.

“Is this six feet on your TV channel? / Will we ever see a brighter day? / 2020, you have sucked / 2021 will you kiss 2020 in the butt,” Perry sang while lying on top of a piano that Bryan was playing. “We are hoping for a brighter day / 2020, can you just go the hell away.” American Idol returns on Sunday, Feb. 14 on ABC.