Backstreet Boys’ Brian Littrell Reveals How He Really Felt About Son Baylee Auditioning for ‘American Idol’

During Baylee Littrell’s run on season 23 of “American Idol,” he had no bigger cheerleader than his dad, Backstreet Boys member Brian Littrell. But in an interview published on July 2, 2025, Brian told Parade Magazine that initially, he wasn’t keen on the idea of his son trying out for the show.

“To be honest with you, I didn’t want him to do it at first,” he admitted. “But they courted him for a couple of years. They were like, ‘Come and audition,’ and he was like, ‘Nah.’ I don’t think he was ready at that time, but he did well.”

In addition to the thousands of tens of thousands of singers who audition for producers virtually each season, “American Idol” casting producers also scour social media and performance venues for up-and-coming talent, encouraging rising stars to give the show a shot. Baylee, who’s been trying to make it as a country and contemporary Christian artist, finally decided it was worth the exposure.

Backstreet Boys’ Brian Littrell Explains Why He Gets So Emotional About His Son

Brian was a proud papa throughout 20-year-old Baylee’s journey, from singing with his son for part of his audition, to cheering for him from the balcony during Hollywood Week.

“He stepped up,” he told Parade of his son, who made it to the Top 20. “He’s super professional. He’s just a great individual. He’s just a great person. He has a heart of gold, and he’s super talented.”

The 90s pop icon, who still tours extensively with the Backstreet Boys, often got emotional while supporting his only child with wife Leighanne Littrell, to whom he’s been married since 2000.

“I get choked up a little bit when I talk about my boy,” Brian said. “He’s just (the) most inspiring thing in my life right now. He inspires me more than anything. Top 20 isn’t a bad thing out of 124,000.”

Brian’s bandmates also chimed in, telling Parade how cool it was to watch Baylee on “American Idol,” since he’s been joining them backstage — and even onstage — since he was a little boy.

AJ McLean said, “We’ve known Baylee his whole life, so to watch him come from singing with us during soundcheck to opening up for us back in the day to now, having his own career … He’s an incredible songwriter. It’s unbelievable, the level of talent. Obviously, the apple didn’t fall far. Honestly, he did fantastic in my opinion.”

Baylee Littrell Released ‘Hey Jesus’ Single He Performed on ‘American Idol’

On June 24, Baylee released the original single he performed during Hollywood Week on “American Idol” called “Hey Jesus.”

“I wrote it in a very dark time in my life,” Littrell told CCM before releasing the song. “A big common misconception is that God won’t let us fall down. That’s part of the journey, that’s part of learning …”

“Three years ago I found myself questioning everything, even the big man upstairs,” he told the outlet. “The growing pains of life weighed heavy on my shoulders and I lived every day in fear of the next. At the time, I had never fully put my trust in God. I thought I had to be a certain way for Him to see me—but He took me as I was. That’s when I wrote ‘Hey Jesus.'”