"It was hard to make friends": Baylee Littrell opens up about how people had "preconceived notions" about him on American Idol

Baylee Littrell, singer and son of Backstreet Boys member Brian Littrell, opened up about his journey following his elimination from American Idol’s 23rd season. In an exclusive interview with US Weekly on April 26, 2025, Littrell was asked if his fellow contestants had preconceived notions about him, given his pedigree. He said:

“They definitely did throughout the journey, and that was tough. It was hard to make friends and it was hard for people to understand me because a lot of people, they did have preconceived notions of how I would be.”

He shared that one of the emotional moments of leaving was that he had just started connecting with everyone and showing his true self. He explained that after putting aside their differences and assumptions, he and the others finally began to bond.

Baylee Littrell said it was a great experience overall, but it was tough in the beginning because he felt alone and didn’t have any friends at first. However, Littrell shared that he and Olivier Bergeron, a fellow contestant, became good friends.

Olivier is a French Canadian from New Brunswick. Baylee Littrell reflected on their friendship, saying they built a strong bond and would stay friends for life.

He said that one of the best pieces of advice came from Jelly Roll, who taught him to fully embrace the moment. He explained that while he was usually funny and happy, he tended to become reserved and tense in high-pressure situations. Jelly Roll helped him let go of that and be more easygoing when performing.

Baylee Littrell on his father’s song and AJ McLean’s support

When asked about performing Brian Littrell’s song on the show, Baylee Littrell shared that performing his dad’s song, Gone Without Goodbye, was nerve-wracking, especially since they didn’t have much time to practice together because he was busy with American Idol.

He said singing any Backstreet Boys song would be personal, but performing his dad’s Christian music felt even more emotional and personal. He said he had never been that nervous singing one of his father’s songs.

It was a bittersweet moment, especially because the song touched on the tragic events of September 11, 2001, making it even heavier to perform. Reflecting on the incident, he said:

“It's something that will always just be in our hearts and then too just so many people that lost their lives and it's just so sad is to think that one decision could change you know history.”

He went on:

“Something so monumental, generations of family and so it's sad you know, my dad lost one of his crew members on that same flight going home to surprise his wife.”

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Baylee Littrell said that after his elimination, band member AJ McLean reached out to him. He said AJ McLean had always been very supportive and encouraging, often reminding him that this was just the beginning of his journey.

Knowing that AJ and the other Backstreet Boys were tuning in to watch him made Baylee Littrell feel good and appreciated. He said having their support meant a lot to him, and he was excited to keep moving forward and continue building his career.

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