Much has changed on “American Idol” in the 22 years since Clay Aiken became a household name on the show. But Aiken, who was runner-up to winner and dear friend Ruben Studdard in 2003, says he felt like he saw glimmers of the old days during the 2025 season.

Although Aiken didn’t watch season 23 religiously, he told EntertainmentNow on June 4 that he saw enough to notice how viewers got behind “relatable” contestants with significant talent, and how the audience embraced music genres like gospel and R&B. The result, Aiken said, reminded him of his own season on “American Idol.”

Clay Aiken Says ‘American Idol’ Viewers Chose Substance Over Style in 2003

EntertainmentNow/GettyRuben Studdard and Clay Aiken on the season 2 finale of “American Idol” in May 2003
Aiken told EntertainmentNow that after the first season of “American Idol” made winner Kelly Clarkson and runner-up Justin Guarini instantly famous, both with “pop star” images to match their talent, judge Simon Cowell looked at the talent pool for season two and determined that the audience would have to decide which mattered more — the contestants’ looks or their talent.

“Simon said that it was going to be talent over image in season two,” Aiken told EntertainmentNow. “You know, who goes further — (those who) look like pop stars, who fit that mold? Or will America choose the folks who are more relatable and look more like them?”

In the end, Aiken said, Cowell was right. The final three contestants — Studdard, Aiken, and Kimberly Locke — had powerful voices but lacked quintessential pop star looks. Nevertheless, nearly 40 million people tuned in for the most-watched finale in the show’s history, eager to root for singers they loved and related to most, Aiken said.

“I think the audience really took part that season and changed the dynamic,” he added.

To stay competitive in changing TV landscape over the years, Aiken said he understands why “American Idol” is now a much “flashier” production than when he was a contestant. Prefacing that “there are people who work there who I love dearly still, so no judgement,” Aiken said that with “fireworks behind them and waterfalls on the stage,” truly talented hopefuls have sometimes been overshadowed and that viewers can easily “forget that these are kids from next door, that they’re from down the street, because they’re so well produced.”

But in season 23, Aiken noticed a shift. He praised the decision to stage a faith-based Easter special to appeal to the show’s core audience in “middle-America.” He also celebrated seeing finalists who represented a diverse span of music genres and backgrounds, much like on his season. Roberts, for example, is the only Black male winner since Studdard, and also the first dad ever to win “American Idol,” with three daughters back at home in Meridian, Mississippi.

Aiken told EntertainmentNow, “I think in some way, the fact that the audience said ‘we want the guy who we relate to’ kind of goes to show that networks don’t always know what audiences want. Sometimes audiences need to tell them, and they did this year, absolutely.”

Clay Aiken Hopes Judges Will Share More Constructive Criticism in Future Seasons of ‘American Idol’

Famous “American Idol” alums Clay Aiken and David Archuleta guest mentor contestants on season 21.
During his audition, Roberts was told by judge and former “American Idol” winner Carrie Underwood that he needed more “swagger” to match his big voice. Later, after one of his top five performances, she said, “I feel like you missed such an opportunity to move around and entertain,” adding that it was time to “pull out all the stops.”

Some viewers have criticized Underwood over the advice she gave to Roberts. Others have complained that she didn’t always join fellow judges Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie in their standing ovations for various contestants. But Aiken, who served as a guest mentor on season 21, told EntertainmentNow he’d rather see the judges share their opinions and some constructive criticism versus none at all.

“As nasty as some of the things Simon could say were,” Aiken said of Cowell’s critiques of him, “they were of value and I appreciated having that criticism nine — okay, eight times — out of 10.”

“The fact that Carrie gave Jamal some criticism is actually great,” he continued, “because it’s not something that has been happening on ‘Idol’ in the last eight years or so, and I feel like that was missing. Maybe that’s why more people voted, because they heard Carrie kind of giving that constructive criticism (and wanted to weigh in).”

Aiken joked that he’s felt at times, especially since “American Idol” moved from FOX to ABC in 2018, that the judges are simply there “to hold those chairs down … because after everybody performed, it’s like, ‘You’re a star! That’s great! You’re great! That was wonderful. That was the best!’ I’m like, ‘Why? What? What are you here for?’”

“Like, there’s a happy medium, folks, between telling somebody that they need to sue their music teacher and telling them that they’re wonderful,” Aiken laughed. “There are constructive things that I still want after, you know, 22 years in this business.”

Clay Aiken Has New Music Coming in June 2025 & Still Welcomes Critiques From Trusted Producers

Aiken’s first non-holiday single in years, a new version of “Measure of a Man,” is due to be released before Father’s Day. Aiken told EntertainmentNow that the thick skin he developed on “American Idol” — from the judges, press, and viewers — still serves him well today, because he’s open to constructive criticism from colleagues he trusts.

He explained, “Even as we re-recorded this new version, I begged my producers, like, ‘You have to just be strict as crap with me in the studio, make sure that you are riding me and telling me what I do wrong. Because if we put it out, and people are like, ‘What happened to Clay? He sounds old as hell!’”

Whether competing on “American Idol” or recording music two decades later, Aiken said, “I think it’s important to surround yourself with people who will be constructive and honest.”