“A foundation of confidence for them:” American Idol mentor Josh Groban opens up about his experience coaching artists

American Idol, the reality TV singing series, not only focuses on the competitive nature and the prize fund but also on providing the right guidance to artists. With the help of mentors as well as advice from the judges, contestants get an overall view of their performances. Which is why they get a chance to improve their singing abilities while embarking on a journey of discovering themselves through music.

Josh Groban, the new mentor on the ABC series American Idol , opened up about his experience of coaching contestants in a conversation with Billboard in April 2025. He said,

“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."

American Idol star Josh Groban shares details about mentorship

During his interview, the American Idol mentor Josh Groban shared a few behind-the-scenes details when the cameras were off. Along with Jelly Roll, Josh coached the contestants who are hoping to head to the next round. Due to the competitive nature of the singing show, the votes decide the fate of each candidate, revealing whether they will face elimination or not.

Reflecting on his experience being a mentor to the artists who have made it this far in the competition, Josh praised their talent. He said,

“The talent is genuine and the notes we give are genuine. I wish that audiences could see us when the cameras aren’t rolling — working with Jelly [Roll] and the way we’re talking about what the contestants need to do.”

He recognized being able to "impart some small amount of wisdom" through a platform that gives a chance to talented singers to change their lives by making a name for themselves in the music industry. The American Idol mentor expressed gratitude to be able to help new emerging artists polish their skills while finding a distinct singing style. He continued:

“My favorite thing about having a platform is being able to impart some small amounts of wisdom that maybe will help them escape some of the trappings that I had to learn the hard way. We really care. It’s not just for TV. 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."

Later in the interview, Josh emphasized that the mentor's job was to make the learning process for contestants easier. He stated that the mentorship was not just limited to the competition itself, as the learnings would help them in the future as well. Looking back on his time when he was younger and his high school teachers providing him with guidance and clarity to focus on his journey. Josh said,

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"It helped me as somebody who was a little lost inside myself to realize that my voice had a place in this world and if I’d gone into veterinary medicine, which was my other dream, it still would’ve followed me.”

New episodes of American Idol are available to stream on ABC. Fans can follow Josh on his Instagram account.

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