Just a few months before “American Idol” premiered in the summer of 2002 and introduced the world to a 20-year-old singer named Kelly Clarkson, a singer named Josh Groban was also trying to make a name for himself.
Groban had released his debut album in late 2001, but he was still struggling with being a relative unknown.
Then, he performed at the closing ceremony of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, three days shy of his 21st birthday.
“It actually wasn’t until after the Winter Olympics that my album started to blow up,” Groban previously told the Deseret News. “I was still relatively unknown. In fact, I remember when NBC announced Charlotte Church and I, they said, ‘And now, for the extinguishing of the Olympic flame, we’re going to see a beautiful duet called ”The Prayer" — one half of which is sung by the superstar Charlotte Church.’ And I’m thinking, ‘Noooo! They didn’t even mention the other half! They didn’t even mention the guy that was standing next to her.‘”
But after that performance, Groban saw his profile rise.
And he kept an eye on the new show “American Idol,” which was showcasing other up-and-coming artists who were seeking their big break.
“I’ve been watching since the first season. ... There was an enormous amount of talent and it was really fun to see so many dreams on stage. So many young singers who at that point were my age that were giving it their all and leaving it up to America,” Groban recently told Billboard. “I have followed it off and on throughout the entire time.”
Now, in somewhat of a full-circle moment, Groban is appearing on the 23rd season of “Idol” to mentor some of the top 24 contestants who have their eye on winning the show.
On Monday night, he’ll offer some feedback and guidance to a group of singers performing for a spot in the competition’s top 20.
Josh Groban is an ‘American Idol’ mentor
More than 20 years later, Groban still remembers the excitement he felt watching “Idol” for the first time.
That inaugural season would go on to help launch the career of Clarkson, who Groban later collaborated with for his 2015 album, “Stages.”
“It was such a novel thing for TV,” Groban told Billboard. “I came up in such an old school way, being discovered by a big-time producer who discovered a tape of mine through a friend while I was in high school — pre-Internet, pre-competition television. When 'American Idol’ started, we couldn’t keep our eyes off of it because it was new and because of that newness, there was a lot of excitement and a lot of skepticism."
Although Groban has previously appeared on “Idol” — he performed duets with two contestants in 2021, as the Deseret News reported — this season is the first time he’s serving in the official role of an “American Idol” mentor. It’s something he doesn’t take lightly.
“Even though here we’re making TV and there’s a lot of production, a lot of cameras and a huge performance element about it, the stories are genuine. The talent is genuine and the notes we give are genuine. I wish that audiences could see us when the cameras aren’t rolling,” he told Billboard.
“We’re invested. We really care. It’s not just for TV,” he continued. “Because we’ve been there and we know how special this is for them and we also know that these are notes that will travel with them beyond the competition. ... They may decide to not continue with music, but we can also note that having this experience will be a foundation of confidence for them for the rest of their lives and we want to make sure that the things we instill in them allow them to have that for whatever they do.”
What else is Josh Groban up to?
Groban’s appearance on “Idol” comes as he is preparing to release his latest album, “Gems,” which also coincides with an upcoming Las Vegas residency, as the Deseret News previously reported.
The new album — which comes out May 2 — features highlights from his career and two new songs, per his website.
The singer’s five-show stint at The Colosseum runs from May 9-17, and will showcase the “gems” throughout his career.