Ryan Seacrest Speaks Out as ‘American Idol’ Drops Surprise Twist Involving Jelly Roll

American Idol dropped a series twist never done before… and host Ryan Seacrest has some thoughts about it.

The hit ABC series is coming back for an all-new season on March 9, and it is famous for bringing musical sensations in to coach competitors throughout different weeks of the season. But there has never been a well-known singer there to take the role of mentor and be by the contestants’ sides throughout the entire competition… until now.

In an announcement made by Variety on February 4, American Idol announced there will be an “artist in residence.” This position will be “a permanent fixture this season and will work closely with the Idol hopefuls, giving them firsthand advice on how to navigate the journey” — and the first celebrity to hold the title is none other than country superstar Jelly Roll.

To confirm the news, Jelly Roll (who was also previously a mentor during the stage of competition held at the Disney Aulani Resort in Hawai’i) and Ryan filmed a hilarious teaser that appeared on American Idol‘s official Instagram. As Jelly Roll proceeded to pick Ryan up and spin him around, folks got to hear just how thrilled Ryan was to see the “Save Me” singer take on this new role on the show.

“Jelly Roll!” Ryan exclaimed in the clip. “Good to see you buddy!”

“I’m American Idol‘s artist in residence!” Jelly Roll happily replied.

After all the antics finished, Ryan was curious to hear how Jelly Roll felt about being American Idol‘s first artist in residence. And to nobody’s surprise, Jelly Roll was ecstatic to be someone the contestants could rely on throughout the season.

“How does it feel?” Ryan added. “You’re shaping America’s future.”

“Yes! I feel like I’m giving them the energy they need,” Jelly Roll responded. “I’m uplifting and trying to to get ’em goin’!”

Naturally, seeing Ryan react to Jelly Roll being a permanent face on American Idol had fans thrilled online.

“ Can’t wait ,” one person wrote in the Instagram comments. “Awesome …. Best Choice Ever ,” another agreed. “That’s awesome! I absolutely loved him as a mentor last season! ,” a different follower added.

Now, it’s important to note that Jelly Roll isn’t the only celebrity mentor joining American Idol this season. He will be joined by Ashanti and Josh Groban during the Hawai’i portion of the show, where the trio will help contestants before they seal their TV fate in front of judges Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie.