If new judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan agree on one thing, it's this!
Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan are excited to help uncover undiscovered talent. Hearing their own music over again... not so much.
ET's Sophie Schillaci talked to the new American Idol judges in Los Angeles, where they all agreed on the biggest "don't" for Idol hopefuls: singing one of their songs.
"Never," the judges resoundingly agree. Richie adds, "Don't do it."
"Because here is the thing -- we have heard those songs so many times day in and day out," Perry explains, "And God bless... I love my songs, I am so grateful for them ... but I don't need to hear them again."
"There's a plug for the songs," Richie laughs.
Of course, as with any rule, there are exceptions.
"Unless you interpret them extremely differently," Perry concedes, adding that she wouldn't mind hearing her own tunes, "if you sing them better than us."
"Or in a different style," Richie agrees.
Meanwhile, the judges were singing praises for the crop of singers who've come their way in auditions so far.
"I mean when I tell you it's some talent, its some real talent," Richie raves. "I'm really shocked. They did a great job in rounding up the talent. I'm telling you."
"It's gonna be an extremely competitive top ten," Perry adds. "Extremely competitive."
American Idol premieres on March 11 on ABC.
Watch the video below for what Perry told ET about balancing her life with touring and Idol.