‘American Idol’ Hits Hawaii: Behind the Scenes With the Judges, Jelly Roll, Iam Tongi & Tori Kelly

After five weeks of auditions and the famed Hollywood Week elimination round, the action on season 22 of American Idol relocates to Hawaii for two episodes scheduled to air Sunday (April 7) and Monday (April 8).

When the long-running television competition series moved to Disney-owned ABC in 2018, a new tradition began, with the production recording shows in Hawaii for a week. That’s where the top 24 perform over two nights at Aulani, a Disney resort and spa in Ko Olina. While Billboard has covered the popular TV series since its first season, this was our first time being present for the production days on O’ahu. Here’s how it all went down.

Day 1

Checking in to the Aulani Resort, one quickly notices the presence of American Idol. Signs are posted to let guests know that the series is recording shows on the property. And while children and families are everywhere, so are people wearing badges and headphones – clear signs of the presence of production staff, who are walking around with more intent and purpose than visitors enjoying a leisurely vacation.

After lunch in one of Aulani’s many outdoor restaurants, the first stop was a grassy area where celebrity mentor Jelly Roll was coaching 15-year-old Triston Harper from Macintosh, Ala. After watching the enthralled teenager receive advice from one of his heroes, it was time for the first interview of the week – with last season’s winner Iam Tongi, who would be performing his new single that evening as a returning guest. We found a nearby conference room where we could talk without interrupting Jelly Roll’s mentoring session.

What do you remember about being in Hawaii during your season one year ago?

Iam Tongi: The thing I remember most was walking around so much. It was fun though, because I would sit down and talk with the security guards and the crew. We spent time sitting in the hallways and singing.

Rehearsing?

Iam: Not rehearsing, just jamming. People would tell us, “You’re being a little too loud. Bring it down a little bit.” I’d say, “Sorry!” All the contestants would sit in a circle, singing. I miss that.

You grew up here on O’ahu before moving to Washington state in 2019. Where is home these days?

Iam: I’m all over the place. I’m always on the road, but I always come back to Seattle for a week and then I’ll go back out for a month or two. I stay in Nashville a lot because I do a lot of music there.

What is it like coming back to American Idol?

Iam: I still get nervous filming. I still don’t know what to say. I’ll completely blank out when the cameras are going. Every time.

How nervous were you last year? Is it a different kind of nervous?

Iam: Yes, it’s a different kind of nervous. You won the show and now you want to prove it was deserved.

Have you had a chance to meet any of this year’s contestants? What advice would you give them?

Iam: They are really cool. I would tell them to have fun. If you think of it just as a competition, you’re not going to have fun. You’ve just got to relax and not focus on little things. Don’t let all the stuff get to your head. And be humble. When I first auditioned in New Orleans, I listened to everyone’s voice and I went up to my room, crying. I told my roommate I didn’t think I was going to make it. He told me, “Don’t think like that. You’ve just got to have fun. Relax.” I said, “Man, I don’t know. These guys are way better than me.” I would tell these kids not to compare themselves to other people because everyone is different. There will be people who love your music and people who won’t love your music. Be yourself and don’t let anyone change you.

What have been the highlights of the last 12 months for you?

Iam: I did an international run to Bali and then New Zealand and then Australia where I played (the Promiseland Music Festival). The headliner was Lauryn Hill. I was so happy to be part of that. Then I went to Tonga to visit my grandpa. I landed there and no one knew, because we never told anyone that I was going. The first hour, the whole island knew I was there. People on the radio were saying, “Iam Tongi’s in Tonga.” I was thinking, “At least they won’t come to my grandpa’s house.” I was sleeping and my grandpa woke me up, saying, “Hey, people are outside to see you.” So I went outside and talked everyone and I really loved it.

How are you dealing with going places and everyone knows who you are?

Iam: It’s amazing. I know a lot of people get uncomfortable with that but I respect it. If it wasn’t for the people, I wouldn’t be here doing what I love. When I’m with security guards and they tell me, “We’ve got to go,” I say, “No, I’ve gotta take one more picture.” Security will just laugh and the next thing you know, there’s a long line of people. “We gotta go!” “Wait, I’m almost done!” When I was in Bali, man, I was so surprised by how many people knew me over there.

Do you feel you represent Polynesian culture and want to bring that to the rest of the world?

Iam: Exactly. I want to represent where I’m from and my heritage. You know, Tongan, Samoan, Irish. I want to represent everything I love, which is this island, Hawaii, and all my Polynesian heritage.

After Iam’s interview, there was a three-hour break and then it was back to the same resort conference room to interview celebrity mentor Jelly Roll.

These contestants are in the early days of their careers. You had early days too. Did you have anyone who mentored you?

Jelly Roll: I did. I was lucky. There were a lot of musicians in my town that had done more than me that were all very open to helping me and I’ll never forget that. Coming up in hip-hop was very competitive, but they would still give me all the advice in the world. Mentorship is important to me still. Brent Smith from Shinedown and Eric Church and Kid Rock are mentors at times. I can call them with real questions and they’ll help me out.

When you were talking to the kids today and giving them advice, how much of your own early days were you reflecting on as you were talking to them?

Jelly Roll: I wanted to make sure they understood the moment. I kept emphasizing, “This is huge, y’all. This is on national television and the world’s fixin’ to vote.” I wanted to make sure they were present. Sometimes you’ll be in the middle of something and won’t take the time to see it. You just hope they see it. When I first met them I told them, “I hope you all are tight. I hope you’re all making the most of it.” Because some of these kids are going to be stuck in hotels together for months when it gets down to the nitty gritty.

One of the contestants, 15-year-old Triston Harper, must have had one of the best days of his life because he got to sing your song “Son of a Sinner” not just to you, but with you.

Jelly Roll: He walked in with the spirit of a 75-year-old man that had been through a lifetime of pain. Just wise beyond his years, with that deep Southern drawl. He has you eating out of the palm of his hand the first two seconds you talk to him, and the coolest part is he has no clue that he’s charming. It’s just naturally kind of who he is and then for him to be so moved by me was really cool.

Did you ever have a moment like he had today where you were face-to-face with one of your heroes?

Jelly Roll: Yeah, I’ve had a bunch. When I met Garth Brooks at the ACM’s last year, when I met Dolly Parton, when I opened for Eric Church, and then to be able to have a moment with Eric after the show similar to the one Triston and I had where I got to unload a bunch of questions on him and get advice. So I know that feelin’. I had it this year at the Grammys. I’d never been before. I met all these superstars. Jon Bon Jovi. Bruce Springsteen. Sir Paul McCartney. Robert Kraft. Tom Hanks. I had a wild week. Even where I am at in my career, I still meet people and flip out. I was scared to meet Paul McCartney. Lucky for me, Rob Light from CAA was there. I asked him, “Please take me to meet Paul McCartney.”

Did anything surprise you about today? Did it meet up with your picture of what it would be like to be a mentor?

Jelly Roll: It was easier than I thought it would be. I was worried. I still struggle with my own stuff, like, “Can I bring value to the situation, honestly?” I thought I could and immediately found my place.

What have you taken away from today? How did mentoring the kids affect you?

Jelly Roll: I realized how life-changing this is for these kids. Even if they go on and don’t have music careers, they have this story forever and I felt it on them. I took away the spirit of genuine happiness to be where you are, because it happens so fast that sometimes you don’t realize how special a moment it is and I told them to practice being in the moment and I needed to hear that too.

Did any of the kids today make you think they could be the winner of season 22?

Jelly Roll: Of my 12, I think three or four of them could have a dogfight in the top five at the end of this. This year is going to be intense. I might show up to one of those last live shows. I don’t want to see it on TV. I want to feel it in the room.

Day 2

After a relatively light schedule on Day 1, Day 2 was more intense. The production crew put the finishing touches on the massive stage, erected at the water’s edge. Right after lunch, it was time to meet up with Ryan Seacrest and judges Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan. Since their first season of judging, the trio has always done interviews together. At the Aulani resort, Ryan joined them to sit down with Billboard.

What motivates all of you to do what you do and what benefits do you receive?

Luke Bryan: The main thing is the promise of a new day with new talent and the fact that we’re able to deliver with new talent. Does everybody from the top 10 go on to be generationally successful and all that? No, but it’s worth it to us. It’s like gold mining. We mine a lot for a little bit of gold. And every now and then, we really strike it rich.We’re able to do that and have fun doing it and put on a really great positive show for people to watch at home. And I get the tears and the emotion and the joy. The joy is when people walk up to me on the street who are not country music fans and they say, “We don’t know your music that much but we appreciate what you guys do on American Idol.”

Lionel Richie: What I like the most is that we inspire. They walk in see us and they’re unsure. Some of them have a little attitude, but most of them are not sure. We see ourselves in these kids and then we happen to know the journey, so we inspire them and I love it when that little light bulb goes on when they realize, “Oh my God, I got this.” We’ve done our job because it’s not just about singing. It’s about life. And I think what I enjoy most is when someone stops me on the street and says, “Man, I was so inspired.”
They aren’t talking about singing. They mean how we handle the kids and how they love us and how we interact and that’s called emotion. I feel like the largest father in the whole world. There’s nothing like having your kids walk in and go, “Thanks, dad. I really want to let you know that helped me out.” Makes me feel amazing.

Katy Perry: I think it restates that every human life has value; we help them find their spark. Not everybody wins American Idol, but they always find a gift along the way. If you were to look at everybody’s fingerprints, it’s an individual fingerprint. I believe we’re all created to have a purpose and I hope that we help them find their purpose and remind them of their value and their love that they deserve and inspire them. If they’re inspired, then hopefully there’s a reversal back to whoever is watching and they’re relating to the story where some of them come from the worst situations, from nothing, and then they are able to rise above. These days we have so much that is fake and fraudulent online where people are posing and it’s a comparison game and nobody can keep up, so it’s nice to share humanity, the heart of America. How does it make me feel? It makes me feel like it’s a responsibility. I think we all take it very seriously. No matter how much fun we’re having or the jokes or the jests, we understand what it’s like to walk a day in their shoes and to have a dream and want to see it fulfilled, so we take it seriously. When we see it come full circle like Iam Tongi or anyone on this show, we just feel so proud.

Ryan Seacrest: To their points, there’s a relatability to the contestants on this show and the audience watching it. If they’re doing their jobs, they’re speaking through them. The people who are watching it with their families – maybe they wanted to sing but never went for it and they sing through the television. I don’t sing. I, of course, watch the show, but I can see myself watching it and going, “I never tried that and I’m not good at it but wouldn’t it be fun and look at that person who I like and relate to go.” As I see
the viewer’s side of it, this is a show that is comfortable. You can get together with everybody and watch. It’s not controversial. You know what to expect in a way, but it’s always going to bring you surprises. We do take that seriously. We want to deliver. How does that make me feel? I feel pressure to make sure the show is delivered in the best possible seamless way every time it’s on the air and getting all of the moving parts in and on time, so that it does feel comfortable and relatable no matter what’s happening in those hours or two hours.

We’ve seen your friendship and camaraderie on air. How do you relate to each other when the cameras aren’t on?

Lionel: I don’t know that there’s a difference. Honestly, I’ve really discovered three best friends. We have a lot of fun together and we’ve gotten past the point of the egos. That’s long gone. We can say anything to each other. We know that it’s not going to be offensive. We don’t care. The most important part about it is we’re friends and we hang. I love them. I’ve got to tell you, I’ve known Ryan the longest, but Luke and Katy, I’m sure they would have been in my high school yearbook somewhere. It’s amazing. I love being around them.

Katy: We had dinner last night on our night off.

Ryan: Katy treated us to dinner.

Katy: We all wanted to go to this one restaurant and it was so fun. It’s so easy. It’s literally like family and you know what it is? It’s really reassuring. I’m not quite sure there’s a lot of people in our industry that… [To Luke] Well, maybe in your industry, in your genre…

Luke: Is that a country compliment?

Katy: It is a country compliment. They know how to hang and set their egos aside and aren’t operating out of fear. It’s just so fun.

Luke: I was going to say the Kryptonite for a group like us is egos, and we came in year one with none of that and so now from each year, we’ve built friendships that translate on camera now. We can all poke each other a little bit. We can have a little fun with one another and nobody calls their management team and starts complaining.

Ryan: It’s fun. You always get a laugh. You always learn something from somebody and then it makes it all the more special when you’re at work because it’s that same sort of connection.

Lionel: He used the word work. It’s not work. That’s the most important part.

This year you tie the record for the longest intact judges panel.

Katy: Really, tied?

Yes, because the first seven seasons with Simon, Randy and Paula were intact, so seven years is the record. You all need to do one more year.

Katy: To break it?

Lionel: I thought we signed up for 10? Was it 10 or 12?

Ryan: That was you.

Lionel: That was me.

Ryan: They tell us every year.

Luke: We have to go to the Magic 8 Ball and shake and see if we have next year.

(Editor’s note: Five days later, Perry announced that she was not coming back for season 8 on ABC.)

For the judges, what has been the best decision you’ve made as a judge? And for Ryan, what is the best moment you’ve had on stage?

Luke: We all have our shining moments of fighting for someone. Who was yours, Katy?

Katy: Mine? The girl I did the luau for. What you’ll understand is I disgraced myself. I disgraced myself on national television. I tell you, it’s not even out yet, but when it comes out, I’ll have to hide. I put my reputation on the line for a girl who I thought could go to the next round. She deserved it. She had more talent and she fought for it and to be honest, when we saw her next, she was like a whole different person and I was so glad that I did that. So I loved that decision, even though it will haunt me for the rest of my life. The luau will probably live on longer than the show. It’ll probably be the last thing that they say about me in my life. It was so weird.

Lionel: My moment is when I realized my fellow judges were on the same page. The person was not going to be the greatest singer, nor was that person going to be anywhere in the final 10, but they said something that made us all think about it for a moment. She said she’s homeless. “Where have you been?” “Nowhere.” “Who do you know?” “I’ve got a couple friends, but I don’t know anybody.” And it was one of those moments where I said, “Have you ever been to Hollywood?” And she said, “No, sir. I haven’t been out of my city.”

Luke: She was from the Bronx.

Lionel: She basically hadn’t been anywhere in life and I said, “Would you like to see the rest of the world?” She said, “Yes, sir.” And I got that look out of my fellow judges where I knew we were going to do something amazing. We voted yes so she could go through because we wanted her to have a life experience. We wanted her to meet new friends and again that’s the part I like about the show. Singing is singing. Winning is winning. Number one is one, but each one of these kids comes to this show to find themselves and our job is to complete them if we can or at least give them that lift and I just loved that moment when we said “you’re going to Hollywood” and she started crying. It was a moment.

Luke: Sometimes we catch a little flak online about sending someone home. The fans speak out against our decisions. They don’t necessarily know where we’re coming from in that mental process. If we have the opportunity to really change somebody’s life, it’s worth us doing it and changing their life no matter what we may catch on the back end. One of my fun moments was when Megan Danielle was in a sing-off last year. I was a real big champion for her. She won her sing-off, which allowed her to come to Hawaii and then she went from the top 24 and finished in second place. I had a little pride. She was a Georgia girl, so that may have had a little to do with it. It was awesome.

Ryan: For me, there’s so many different memories on this show over the years, over two decades on the show, but there is something really special that strikes me and has stayed with me over the years. It’s when we meet a contestant early on and we see them be successful on the show and then later I’m standing on the red carpet at the Oscars interviewing them. They’re nominated for an Oscar and they win it. The same thing has happened at the Grammys many times. It’s pretty cool to be there saying, “Congratulations. I remember when we met and now you’re holding an Oscar” or “now you’re holding a Grammy.” Those are things that you can’t believe happen, but that is the reason this show is this show. It works for people that just don’t win it. It works for a lot of different people in a lot of different ways and those are the things that strike me.

What is different about this seventh season on ABC, season 22 overall, compared to past years?

Luke: Doing auditions in our hometowns. When Lionel and Katy were in my hometown, I loved having them there. I think Lionel and Katy felt the same way. The fact that I got these two in a jet boat on the Flint River…

Ryan: Notice he said two of them.

Katy: Yes, being able to do auditions in our hometowns was special, to be part of our communities and give back in a little way, because we all come from smallish, little towns and I think you’ve seen our personalities as judges on this show but in our hometowns you saw a whole different side. You saw our families, where we came up, the venues we played. We talked about how we used to be in the contestants’ same shoes and you actually see those shoes.

Lionel: it makes us real people. The audience understood where we came from. We didn’t come from the moon. The point is we got a chance to show off our hometowns. Every time I go back, there’s someone who calls me Little Richie. Anybody who would call me Little Richie, they’re now 96 years old but they’re still there, still living. I cannot tell you how many people came up to me and said, “Little Richie, your mom and dad would be proud of you.”

Luke: There’s another nickname, but we’ll keep it quiet.

Ryan: It’s great to see that they’re not overnight successes, and know where they came from. everybody comes from somewhere and we saw their stories and their teachers and their stages. It’s something I think the viewers enjoyed.

Lionel: How about my high school principal who is a hundred years old who walked out and said, “Welcome back. Good to see you.”

The interview ends, but Ryan, Katy, Luke and Lionel have a treat for Billboard. A table with bottles of liquids in many different hues has been sitting on the side during our 30-minute talk but stagehands bring the set-up the forefront and the Idol foursome pour the different flavors over Mickey Mouse-shaped shaved ice and we all enjoy a local delicacy.

In the evening, 12 of the 24 contestants perform for the judges and an audience of a couple hundred resort guests. Guest mentor Tori Kelly joins Katy, Lionel and Luke to offer her own comments on the one dozen finalists she coached two days earlier.

Day 3

On the second night of performances, the 12 contestants mentored by Jelly Roll perform, and like Kelly, he joins the judges panel and offers sage counsel to this second set of finalists.

After production wraps, Tori Kelly has a late-night sit-down with Billboard to talk about her experience of mentoring half of the season 22 contestants.

You are a unique guest mentor because you auditioned for American Idol in season 9. If you could travel back in time to your appearance before the judges, what would you tell yourself?

Tori Kelly: I would tell 16-year-old Tori who was so nervous to not overthink so much. It’s something I still have to tell myself. I like to remind myself that nobody knows what they’re doing. I wish I could tell that to 16-year-old me. Because I thought that there was a way that you had to be. At 12, I was signed to a record label and I always had the sense they wanted me to open up more and be more bubbly. That just wasn’t me. I’ve never been that way. I’ve been very reserved my whole life. So I would go back and tell myself there’s not a right way to do this; stop comparing yourself. It’s okay if you’re a little more restrained but don’t be afraid to just say weird things and be yourself.

How did your own Idol experience inform how you mentored these kids?

Tori: I was definitely transported back to the time I was on the show. I remember wanting to prove so much and go full out every time. It’s so hard showing all of yourself in one song. You have two minutes to say “here I am as an artist” and I think that knowing what that pressure was like helped a lot. My hope for the contestants that I mentored is that they would see me as really a walking testimony of what can happen even if you don’t make it that far on the show. America’s going to do what they’re going to do and they’re going to vote but I think that they can take this as an opportunity to showcase as much as possible. And then if they get cut, don’t see that as the end. See that as the beginning because that was definitely the beginning for me.

Did you recognize yourself in some of the contestants?

Tori: Yes, absolutely. There was this one girl in particular – even before I heard her sing. She had the curly hair. She was 16, the age I was in the show. She was quiet and shy and super sweet and right away, I thought, “Wait, there are some similarities here,” and then I heard her sing. She had the same voice. She actually played me a video of her singing “Don’t You Worry ’Bout A Thing,” my version, when she was nine years old. I did see a lot of myself in her because when I was home with my parents, I was outgoing, performing all the time. I think she felt the same. I tried to help her pull out some of that character and that confidence that I knew she had in her. There were a few others too where I could just tell they wanted it so badly and I really understood that as well.

What was it like sitting in the judges’ chairs at the live show?

Tori: I loved it. I thought it was so much fun. I was so happy they asked me to do it because I got to see the progression of these contestants and see what they were struggling with and then see how they actually performed on the stage. It was really cool for me to root for them. I felt like a proud big sister. I had a blast. I loved it.

What was it like to come back and perform on the Idol stage again? Many say the old Idol nerves come back.

Tori: I can relate to that. There’s something about being on stage after seeing a bunch of people pour their heart out and then you think, “Okay, it’s my turn.” I had to remind myself, “Wait, you’re not competing. You’re just here to perform your new song.” I totally felt those nerves come back for just a split second and then I found myself in the song. These contestants have so much pressure on them and a big part of how well you do on the show is how you combat those nerves and how you carry yourself and how you respond to anything that can happen on stage.

Who were your mentors and how did they help you?

Tori: I’ve definitely had some people in my life who believed in me. One in particular is Harvey Mason, jr. Now he’s the head of the Recording Academy and is doing big things, but he was always a producer and one of the best vocal producers that I’ve ever worked with, if not the best. He’s the man behind “Don’t You Worry ’Bout A Thing.” He pulled something out of me that day and when I listen to that record, I think, “What are these notes you made me sing?” I’ve known him since I was 12 years old, when I was signed to a record label. He always challenged me and pushed me vocally and always had really encouraging things to say. I’ve been blessed to have a lot of amazing people in my life. As for singers, Crystal Lewis is someone I grew up listening to and to be able to meet her and consider her a friend now, I don’t think she realizes how surreal that is for me. Crystal, Rachael Lampa, Stacie Orrico, those were the trifecta for me growing up. I was a little girl in church loving their big voices and now I have them in my life being able to hit them up for things. And then I would say I consider my parents as mentors, especially my dad, since he is a musician. He would critique me, but he was always uplifting. He was never too harsh. My parents are two of my biggest fans, so I’m always very grateful to have their support.

What’s the release date of your new single that you are performing on Idol this week?

Tori: The single is called “High Water” and it’s out now. It’s off the new album called TORI. with a period at the end. I wanted it to feel like a statement. All caps. Self-titled. It showcases different sides of me that people haven’t seen before. I wanted songs I could dance to, that I could have fun with and belt out in the car. The release date is April 5.

The interview with Kelly was the final piece of business for the three days in Hawaii. All that was left was a very late-night dinner with members of the production crew, a good night’s sleep and packing in the morning. It’s difficult leaving paradise, but it was time to return to the mainland and reality.