American Idol: Less Obvious Alums Who Should Be Season 20 Mentors

The reality singing competition American Idol season 20 will feature alumni as mentors for the contestants, as Bobby Bones has exited the series to film another show. This opens the door for many fan-favorite singers of the past to return to help guide the new contestants on their journeys. Former contestants, including Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Chris Daughtry, and Adam Lambert, have served as mentors in the past and achieved a lot of success.

At the ABC Television Critics Association (TCA) panel for the show, host Ryan Seacrest shared that he hopes to see Clay Aiken, Ruben Studdard, Carrie Underwood, and Jennifer Hudson return to the show as mentors. Ruben won American Idol season 2 (with Clay as his runner-up) in one of the closest and most exciting votes in the show’s history. Jennifer Hudson famously exited the show way too early in season 3 but went on to win a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for Dreamgirls in 2007.

Season 4 winner Carrie Underwood is one of the most successful country music artists of all time. She has earned many awards and honors, including seven Grammy Awards and 15 Academy of Country Music Awards. Carrie was inducted into the legendary Grand Ole Opry in 2008. All of these stars would be excellent choices to mentor the newest group of American Idol contestants. However, there are some less obvious finalists in this alumni list who would also be great at guiding them.

Justin Guarini, Season 1

In 2002, Justin was the runner-up to Kelly Clarkson in season 1. Known for his smooth vocals and curly hair, he was a very popular contestant. He has had an impressive career since the show ended, releasing several albums. Since 2015, he has starred in Dr. Pepper commercials as Lil’ Sweet, the company’s mascot. He also has extensive theater credits to his name, including starring on Broadway in American Idiot and Wicked. His most recent role was Prince Charming in the Britney Spears jukebox musical, Once Upon A One More Time, which recently played in Washington, D.C., with hopes of a Broadway run.

Through his Audition Secrets program, he currently offers one-to-one mentoring for actors and singers, especially those who want to audition for the singing competition television shows. When Justin was on American Idol, he famously challenged Simon Cowell after a negative critique, telling him that he respected his opinion, but asking what the audience thought of his performance. They responded with cheers. He then apologized on the next episode for his disrespectful behavior. He could use this experience to teach the new contestants how not to take the judges’ criticism as an attack, but as a way to improve in the following weeks.

Justin would also be an asset to the new contestants since he has been a part of the show since the beginning and could give great advice about using the show as a vehicle to launch future projects. His twenty-year career started on the American Idol stage and is still going strong.

Katharine McPhee, Season 5

Katharine is a triple threat star who can sing, dance, and act. In 2006, she brought a level of showmanship to her performances that had not been seen previously on the show. America fell in love with her, and she became the runner-up of season 5. She went on to have a very successful career in music, television, film, and on Broadway. From her starring roles on television shows such as Smash, Scorpion, and Country Comfort to her debut as Jenna in Broadway’s Waitress, Katharine has proven that she knows how to capture an audience.

Her recent appearance on The Masked Singer (as Banana Split, with her husband, David Foster) showed that she still has a knack for making songs her own in order to wow an audience. In season 19, during the Top 24 Celebrity Duets Night, Katharine was an American Idol duet partner with Alyssa Wray and Willie Spence, guiding them on how to stand out at the beginning of the competition. Katharine could help American Idol contestants to include dance moves in their performances, in order to work the stage and offer them advice on how to keep their vocals pristine. She could also encourage them to push their vocals to new heights. Also, teaching runs in the family. Katharine’s mother Peisha and her sister Adriana served as American Idol vocal coaches for several seasons, training the show’s contestants.

David Cook, Season 7

Rocker David Cook took American Idol by storm when he entered the competition in 2008. His intelligence and musical genius came together, culminating in some of the most iconic covers in the show’s history. He famously chose well-known songs such as “Hello” by Lionel Richie, “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson, and “Always Be My Baby” by Mariah Carey, and twisted and transformed them into dark yet beautiful works of art. He paved the way for other rockers who later joined the show. His mesmerizing body of work on the show is a masterclass in musicianship. He won American Idol season 7 with his technically perfect vocals that he then brought to his albums, and even to the Broadway stage in Kinky Boots. Fans can catch him live on stage during his concert tours. David’s expertise at crafting new versions of classic songs could be just what the new contestants need to stand out from the crowd.

Allison Iraheta, Season 8

Pink-haired Allison Iraheta rocked the American Idol season 8 stage at the age of 16 in 2009. She placed fourth in the competition, thanks to her distinctive style and spirited renditions of classic songs. Allison from American Idol has a unique perspective about performing on American Idol because she returned to the show as a backup singer. Beginning with season 13, she performed with musical director Rickey Minor’s house band for several years. Being a contestant on the show and singing one or two songs a night is one thing, but as a backing vocalist, Allison had to appear in nearly every performance on every night of the show, singing all genres and styles of music. She could offer the contestants advice on maintaining their stamina while helping them inject their own personal flair into their song choices.

Candice Glover, Season 12

Season 12 winner Candice Glover’s American Idol experience is a lesson in perseverance. In 2010, she auditioned for season 9, but she was eliminated during Hollywood Week. She came back two years later for season 11, making it a bit further to the Las Vegas Round, but was once again eliminated from the show before the voting rounds began. In 2013, she finally made it to the Top 20 of season 12, and eventually won the competition with her beautiful vocals. Candice’s story serves as a message to the new contestants that success does not come overnight, as so many people expect when they audition for these types of shows. She had to keep working to improve her skills until she finally made it to the top, so she could give the new singers some performance tips. Candice has said that she would like to be a counselor, so she could use her experience to help the performers through rejection if it happens.

Alejandro Aranda, Season 17

Alejandro was the season 17 runner-up in 2019. His style was so unique that it was unlike anything anyone had ever heard on the show before. He transfixed viewers with his haunting vocals and intricate guitar playing. His audition video went viral, as fans everywhere were captivated by his extraordinary talents. Alejandro broke new ground on the show because he performed seven different original songs, something that was unusual for American Idol, as most contestants perform covers of popular songs. It was a risky move, but it paid off. He injected new life into the competition and spiced up the show’s formula, which could have gotten stale after 17 seasons. Alejandro has since inspired other contestants to perform their original music rather than covers, and he could guide the new contestants to help them debut their own music on the show.

Hunter Metts, Season 19

Hunter was a contestant on the most recent season of the show, so his experience is still fresh. During Oscar-Nominated Songs Week, he performed a sensitive rendition of “Falling Slowly” from the movie Once. However, at the end of the song, he forgot some of the lyrics, and nervously laughed as he attempted to get back on track.

During the judging, Hunter burst into tears, crying and apologizing for his mistake. However, the judges praised him, saying that they had all been there before, and calling it one of the most real and emotional moments of the season. Katy Perry said that it was the best performance he had ever given, that “perfect” is an illusion, and that it showed that he was human and vulnerable. She acknowledged that the show puts a lot of pressure on the contestants. Although it might be difficult for him to revisit this experience, Hunter from American Idol could use it as a lesson to the new contestants. Hunter would be a great mentor to new performers who need someone to help them navigate through all of the stress and pressure that comes with being an American Idol contestant.

The landmark American Idol season 20 is the perfect time to bring back alumni of the show to mentor the new contestants. Even though there are some obvious big-name stars from which to choose, the American Idol finalist list has so many successful and talented people who would be fantastic in the role. The show is lucky to have such a vast array of legendary performers to join the search for its next superstar.

American Idol season 20 premieres on Sunday, February 27 at 8 p.m. EST on ABC.