Brad Paisley And Luke Bryan Prank Judges On Idol

The curtain rose on the 24th season of American Idol with a bang on January 26, 2026, as country stars Brad Paisley and Luke Bryan teamed up to pull off a memorable prank on their fellow judges, Carrie Underwood and Lionel Richie. But the night wasn’t just about hijinks—there was also a deeply moving audition that left Underwood in tears and viewers talking about faith, family, and the unpredictable magic of live television.

The evening began innocuously enough at Belmont University’s Fisher Center for the Performing Arts in Nashville, where hopefuls gathered in the newly christened Brad Paisley and Kimberly Williams Paisley Ballroom, according to Music Mayhem Magazine. After contestant Jesse Findling’s audition, Luke Bryan excused himself with a casual, “I’m hitting the restroom.” What his colleagues didn’t know was that Bryan was actually hatching a plan with Paisley and host Ryan Seacrest just around the corner.

“I can’t wait to ruin this whole show. This is going to be so much fun,” Paisley gleefully confided to Seacrest. The producers, always game for a little mischief, handed Bryan a pair of earpieces. With Paisley feeding him lines from the wings, Bryan was set to become the unwitting star of a prank designed to baffle Underwood and Richie. To keep things fair, they even enlisted a fake contestant, Dylan Holmes, so no real dreams would be dashed in the process.

The prank unfolded with Bryan returning to the judges’ panel and immediately turning to Underwood. “Hey Carrie, how much do you think I can bench press?” he asked, his tone deadpan. Underwood, a fitness enthusiast and owner of the Fit52 workout app, blinked in confusion. “I don’t know. What kind of question is that?” she replied, not missing a beat. Bryan pressed on, “165, Carrie. What are you benching these days?” Underwood, ever the professional, responded, “I am, but I’m not looking for personal records.”

Things only got stranger from there. When fake contestant Holmes introduced himself as being from Michigan, Bryan blurted out, “I can’t stand Michigan.” Lionel Richie, caught off guard, threw his pen and declared, “Oh, that’s it. I’m out of here. We just lost all of Michigan.” Bryan doubled down, adding Illinois to his list of faux grievances. Underwood, now visibly perplexed, asked, “What is happening? Did you go take shots on your bathroom break?”

The odd behavior continued as Holmes tried to begin his audition with “Wondering Why” by the Red Clay Strays. Bryan interrupted before a note was sung, shouting “pass!” and later insisting Holmes sing a Lionel Richie song instead. Richie, playing along, called out, “Somebody come get Luke!” The tension (and laughter) in the room was palpable.

Eventually, Bryan decided he’d had enough and dropped his safe word: “I need more hot chicken. I need more hot chicken out of you.” Paisley, listening in from the other room, signaled to Seacrest that Bryan was bailing out. With the cat out of the bag, Bryan admitted to Underwood, “My physical trainer’s here… the sexiest trainer I’ve ever seen, and this trainer’s been telling me everything to say, this whole audition.” Right on cue, Paisley entered the room, and the prank was revealed to an eruption of laughter and relief.

Richie, who’d been genuinely concerned by Bryan’s antics, joked, “I thought he had fallen.” Underwood, reflecting on the chaos, offered with a laugh, “You wanna hear something great? I didn’t think anything was wrong.” Seacrest summed it up best: “Business as usual.” The safe word “hot chicken” quickly became an inside joke, echoing through the rest of the auditions and setting a playful tone for the season ahead. According to American Songwriter, the phrase became a rallying cry whenever a contestant showed real promise, adding a layer of camaraderie to the judging panel.

But the night wasn’t just about laughter. One of the most poignant moments came courtesy of contestant Hannah Harper, who took the stage to share her journey through postpartum depression and the faith that sustained her. Harper, a mother of three boys, performed her original song “String Cheese,” a heartfelt ode born from a moment of struggle and prayer. As reported by Christian Headlines, Harper recalled, “I remember being on the couch… all three of my children were crying at once. All I wanted was to be a mom, and I couldn’t do it. I was praying that the Lord would calm my spirit. I got up off my couch and I wrote this song.”

Her candid performance moved Carrie Underwood to tears. “Well that’s just about the most relatable song I’ve ever heard,” Underwood told Harper, visibly touched by the authenticity and vulnerability on display. Harper’s story didn’t end there. She later took to Instagram to reflect on her journey, writing, “Last year around this time, I was bathing the idea of pursuing a solo career in country music in prayer. I didn’t want to tread on ground that wasn’t appointed for my feet. And boy, let me tell you…this is ground I never imagined myself standing on—but when He opened the door, I ran through it and I can’t wait to see where this journey leads.” She concluded her post with a verse from Joshua 1:9, a testament to her faith under pressure.

Harper described her calling as leading her children “in the ways of the Lord through my words and actions in everyday life.” She recounted a day when, overwhelmed by laundry and dishes, she realized she hadn’t eaten all day, only to be reminded of her purpose as her baby crawled into her lap. “This is my ministry. My calling is to lead and guide them in the ways of the Lord,” she explained. “The thought of them growing up and not needing me one day breaks my heart, but I pray to soak in these moments while they still depend on me for their daily needs.” Her song “String Cheese,” now available on major streaming platforms under her stage name Hannah Noelle, has resonated with mothers and music fans alike, offering a rare glimpse into the everyday heroism of parenthood.

As the episode wrapped, the playful spirit of Paisley and Bryan’s prank lingered, but it was Harper’s heartfelt performance that left a lasting impression. The season 24 premiere of American Idol managed to balance lighthearted mischief with genuine emotion, reminding viewers why the show has endured for more than two decades. With new episodes airing Mondays on ABC and streaming on Hulu, fans can expect more surprises, more laughter, and perhaps a few more tears as the competition unfolds.

From hot chicken to heartfelt hymns, the latest season of American Idol promises to be one for the books.