David Coverdale, the rock icon, had the chance to be a judge on American Idol, but he declined. Coverdale explained why he passed on the opportunity during a recent guest appearance on the Totally ’80s podcast. American Idol is a popular reality show competition that aims to discover the country’s next big singing sensation. It has had several music industry heavyweights as judges, including rockers like Steven Tyler of Aerosmith and Gene Simmons from KISS. Steven Tyler’s decision to join the show was a surprise to both his fans and bandmates, and he stayed for two seasons.
David Coverdale declined an opportunity to be a judge on American Idol, a decision he recently discussed on the Totally ’80s podcast. Coverdale explained that he didn’t want to potentially crush someone’s dreams with negative comments, citing a negative experience he had with a recording engineer early in his career. He stated that he’s content with his own accomplishments and doesn’t want to hinder anyone else’s aspirations. Coverdale emphasized that he wouldn’t want to unintentionally trample someone’s dreams.
“I was asked to [be a judge on] American Idol way back when. But no, I’m not going to judge people on that level. I’m quite happy with what I’m achieving without me ruining somebody’s life’s dream by being negative.
I had an experience when I was starting out where an engineer in a demo recording studio was completely unhelpful, and it could have stopped me from going forward and pursuing music. It was so devastating, that situation. And so, for me to judge somebody and potentially diminish them is just not who I am.”
David Coverdale declined an offer to join the American Idol judging panel, preferring to focus on creating music and avoiding discouraging aspiring artists. Although it could have been intriguing to see him as a judge, Coverdale prioritized his values over the opportunity.