Luke Bryan, Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, Ryan Seacrest back for Season 22 of ‘American Idol’

HOLLYWOOD, LOS ANGELES — Luke Bryan, Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Ryan Seacrest will be taking viewers down the yellow brick road on the new season of “American Idol.”

“Home” will be one of the big themes for Season 22 of the reality competition series, as the show will visit hometowns of past winners like Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson. But in the end, all the contestants are hoping to hear one special phrase:

“It’s one of the great moments that every contestant wants to hear,” said Seacrest. “It is….”

“You’re going to Hollywood!” cheered Bryan, Perry and Richie.

“I say that in my sleep now,” laughed Perry.

These three judges are back for their seventh season on “Idol.” Seacrest has been at the helm as host since the beginning of the competition series.

Do they have fun? No doubt. However, they also know that for many of the contestants there is something much deeper going on here.

“Sometimes we’re kind of investing in the future too. These kids come from these backgrounds that nobody ever helped them in their music journey,” said Bryan.

“Or in life,” said Richie.

“So we like to, sometimes, roll the dice on somebody to see how they grow,” said Bryan. “It’s just magic. They create magic and you can’t take your eyes off of them.”

“We want the best for them and you know we are going to put them through their paces because we want them to win but yeah I know like, I can read the room anywhere I go that’s like my little special intuitive skill,” said Perry.

“I know that they don’t understand the journey that we have the ability to take them on. And so I’m sitting there, holding in our collective hands here, an opportunity for them to go forward,” said Richie.

Seacrest told us what we can expect from this season’s contestants: “Great stories, great voices. We think every time, you know, I talk about it, what’s gonna be out there? What’s left to find? What can we mine from this great nation? Well, a lot. And they did it.”

“American Idol” returns Sunday, Feb. 18 on ABC and streams the next day on Hulu.