4 Moments When ‘American Idol’ Stars Took Center Stage in National News

American Idol is having a major pop culture moment again, with Carrie Underwood stepping into her first season as a judge and turning heads both on and off the stage. Viewers were moved to tears when Underwood comforted a contestant and her child during an emotional audition, showing just how much the show embraces heartfelt stories beyond the music. Meanwhile, another family dynamic stole the spotlight when Backstreet Boys’ Brian Littrell teared up watching son Baylee audition, ending with an emotional father-son duet.

Underwood made headlines outside the studio as well, performing a powerful a cappella rendition at the presidential inauguration, sparking praise from other stars and opening up conversations around unity and celebrity appearances at major events. In another thought-provoking trend, former Idol contestant Benson Boone is speaking up about his past in the Mormon church, revealing how his childhood shaped his life today, further cementing Idol’s role in spotlighting the stories and societal shifts of America’s favorite performers.

This report was produced with the help of AI tools, which summarized previous stories reported and written by McClatchy journalists. It was edited by journalists from Us Weekly.