The “American Idol” reveals just keep on coming.

A February 4, 2025 report in Variety amplified producers of the ABC series announcing that Jelly Roll will be the show’s first-ever “artist-in-residence.” A few days later on the 9th, Ashanti informed her followers via Instagram that she will be a celebrity guest mentor working with contestants during Hawaii week.

On February 10, Josh Groban also spilled the beans on Instagram, indicating that he was joining season 23 of the long-running program to mentor aspiring singers in Hawaii.

Flashing a big smile, Groban wrote, “Guess who’s mentoring on @americanidol at @disneyaulani this season? 🧐 Spoiler: this guy! 🤙 All-new IDOL starts March 9 on ABC and Streaming on Hulu!”

Josh Groban Had Hollywood Start to Signing, Acting Career

Groban’s introduction to the entertainment industry is a classic Hollywood story, as chronicled by Classic FM.

Born February 27, 1981 in Los Angeles, Groban attended the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, a free public school on the campus of California State University, Los Angeles. Shortly before his 18th birthday, Groban got an urgent call from David Foster, the Grammy-winning Canadian music executive whom Groban had met a year earlier. Foster was at the rehearsal for the 1999 Grammy Awards and urgently needed a stand-in to sing “The Prayer” with Celine Dion, as her partner for the duet, world-renowned Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, was unable to make it.

“I didn’t think this was something I could really go in and do,” Groban would recall years later. “I mean this was Celine Dion, I didn’t know what to expect. She’s a huge superstar. And it was a day that changed my life.”

That rehearsal, which was recorded by Groban’s father, was overheard by Rosie O’Donnell, who was hosting the Grammy Awards that year. O’Donnell asked Groban to appear on her talk show the following week, which led to a role in the popular TV show “Ally McBeal.”

Groban also worked with Foster as a rehearsal singer for several other events, including the January 1999 California gubernatorial inauguration.

According to Twin Cities Public Television, Groban would eventually be offered a recording contract at Warner Bros. Records through Foster’s 143 Records imprint, and the rest was history.

During his career, Groban has performed on Broadway, earning a pair of Tony Award nominations, and he has also appeared in several TV and movie productions.

‘American Idol’ Scheduled for March 9 Premiere

"American Idol" castABC2025 “American Idol” cast Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Lionel Richie, and Ryan Seacrest in Nashville for auditions.
The 23rd season of American Idol is scheduled to premiere on March 9. Carrie Underwood, who was the winner in season 4, returns for the first time to serve as a judge alongside Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan, with Ryan Seacrest back as the host.

Auditions for the upcoming season were filmed last fall, and contestants who earned golden tickets from the judges performed in front of a live audience as part of the Showstopper round of Hollywood Week in late January.

A release from ticket booker On Camera Audiences indicated that the next stage of the competition is scheduled to be filmed on February 11 and 12, with the remaining contestants performing for a live audience at Disney’s Aulani Resort and Spa.