Was "You Raise Me Up" Singer Josh Groban Ever on 'American Idol' as a Contestant?

He's known for having a golden voice with out-of-this-world range. With hit songs like "You Raise Me Up," and a number of incredibly popular covers, Josh Groban has been a hit ever since he first wowed audiences by belting out "The Prayer" alongside the legendary Celine Dion.

In 2025, he moved into an official mentorship role on the popular singing contest series American Idol. But was he ever on American Idol as a contestant? Here's what we know about his history with the show and how he views his role as a mentor.

Josh's voice is a once-in-a-lifetime talent. With natural power, depth, and range, he stands out in a field of talented peers, cementing his place as one of the strongest voices of the early 21st Century, and the end of the 20th.

If he were to appear on American Idol, he would likely give other contestants a serious run for their money. So did he?

No, Josh has not appeared on the show as a contestant.

He has, however, performed on the show before.

And in 2025, Parade reports that he was officially promoted to show mentor, which gives him an opportunity to help guide and support artists as they launch their careers and grow their talent.

For American Idol Season 23, both Josh Groban and fellow Grammy Award-winner Ashanti were tapped to serve as mentors to the show's contestants.

They waited in Hawaii to greet the show's Top 24 when they arrived at Disney Aulani Resort.

For a star like Josh, who has appeared on television hundreds of times through the years, it might seem like just another famous role. But he actually cares about steering the new generation of artists in the right direction, and talked about what he wished people understood about the professionals who work with American Idol contestants.

He told Billboard, "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. Even though here we’re making TV and there’s a lot of production, a lot of cameras and a huge performance element about it, the stories are genuine. The talent is genuine and the notes we give are genuine. I wish that audiences could see us when the cameras aren’t rolling."

He added, "We’re invested. 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. Only one person’s going to win and the rest of them may still have careers."

Josh concluded, "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."

And anyone who has followed his career knows that Josh's passion for helping the next generation of stars aligns perfectly with his personality.