American Idol first aired in 2002, and over the years has helped launch the careers of singers including Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson, Adam Lambert, and many more. The hit show has captured fans’ attention for more than 20 years, and somehow still manages to feel fresh each season. The contestants are undeniably talented, but let’s take a moment to acknowledge the crucial role the creative team plays in bringing out the performers’ best and transforming them into stars. 

This year, (once again) the American Idol hair team earned a Best Contemporary Hair Styling nomination from the Makeup Artist and Hairstylist Guild Awards (MUAHS, IATSE Local 706). The annual MUAHS Awards event, taking place on February 18, recognizes outstanding achievements of make-up artists and hairstylists in film, television, commercials, and live theater.

We interviewed American Idol Hair Department Head Dean Banowetz at the Meet The Nominees Event to find out what life’s like on set and get all the behind-the-scenes details about creating the iconic hairstyles for the show. 

What is a typical day like on the American Idol set?

I've been doing American Idol for 17 years, and it is literally different every single day when I go in because it's a live show. You never know what you're going to get.

Our day to night timeframe is 7:30AM to 7:30PM. Typically, our call time is 7:30AM. We get contestants ready for camera blocking and rehearsals by 10AM. And then it's damage control for the rest of the day! We do a full run through in the afternoon and get ready for the live show at 5PM. 

I take care of Lionel Richie on the show as well. He's the best! He's one of the sweetest people I've ever met in my entire life.

After 17 years, you never know what kind of talent and diamonds are just going to show up in any location, like Tuskegee, Alabama. You're just blown away and appreciate the level of confidence it takes to sing in front of Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, and Luke Bryan. 

I can only imagine, singing in front of them, the intimidation and trepidation alone – I am always in awe. I'm an empath too, so I just always want to make sure I'm the calm before the storm. 

How do you come up with the contestants’ signature styles for the show? Do they have any influence on helping come up with their looks?

My goal is to make them feel and look amazing. So if somebody has an insecurity with the top of their ear and they always want to make sure the top of their ear is covered, or if they have a thinning hairline, how do we bulk that up? How do we make and build that confidence that they already have? I'm pulling out all the Hollywood tips and tricks. I don't ever want to send anybody out on that stage unless they feel 100%. 

We go with the song theme, and we are building out with the creative director and the designers of the song’s backdrop. If they're doing something that's really ethereal and they have all these screens with prairies or meadows in the background, that is all taken into consideration for the look too. We take it to the next level because it is a performance. We know you can sing, but now can you perform? 

As for contestant influence: I always like to mix it up. Even though I work on other shows that are in a similar vein, like The Voice and So You Think You Can Dance, I don’t want American Idol to look the same. I like to utilize new tools and equipment. I’ll tell contestants, “Hey, I just got this new tool in,” and usually, they’ll say, “Use it on me,” which gives me that freedom. 

You'll have some people that are super conservative, and they don't want to do anything outside of their comfort zone. And I respect that. I'm always mindful, and of course they can contribute all they want. We pay attention to what they want very closely. Sometimes, our creative team from the set has something in mind that doesn't fly with the contestant, so you have to be flexible. 

How far in advance of filming are you able to start planning the contestant styles and looks? How do you collaborate with the wardrobe, makeup, and creative team to create a balanced look? 

It's a time crunch. Because every week is another live show, we have seven days to prepare. We never know who's gonna be going home until the live show, so I am stockpiling extensions or pieces. 

I have concepts in my mind, and I'll pull tear sheets of concepts that I think would be great for a contestant. I’ll run ideas by the creative people and contribute by asking them, “This week we would love to incorporate this, this, and this. How does that work?” 

If our creative people are on board, we can utilize various ideas for certain themes. It's such a collaborative show. It's not just one person's opinion. We're working with everyone from wardrobe to makeup. We all have to solidify that look — it all has to marry together. 

One thing can't be so bold that it upstages everything else. We want to just showcase every aspect of that contestant, so that when they walk out on that floor, they are a superstar and they're owning it. 

I have a little 80-20 rule which has really helped me throughout my career. As long as I'm 80% happy with my creative suggestions, I can bend on 20% –10% for makeup and 10% for wardrobe — because it can't be 100% my idea. It can't be 100% wardrobe. It can't be 100%, makeup. We all are working together. If every single one of us is happy with their 80%, we're nailing it. 

It's also all about the consultation. When you go get your haircut, the consultation is key. If you don't have a good consultation, you're not confident with the work that's going to happen. When you have a good consultation, you understand the concept and the idea. Then, you can then take it to fruition, which can really change someone's life. 

This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for every one of these contestants. I know they will remember this for the rest of their lives, and I want to be one of those people they remember. You're making a profound difference in people's lives – 1000%. I take that really seriously. 

Is each stylist dedicated to specific contestants and judges throughout the season? 

I usually like to assign each contestant a stylist. Then, they can build a relationship. Everyone’s hair is different to manipulate, and when you work with someone over time, you start to build confidence and understanding.

Eventually, the contestant feels more comfortable sharing ideas and concepts. Hair and makeup: we're therapists. We listen and sometimes you don't need to respond at all. The communication skill level is so important, and it takes time to develop those relationships.

Lionel is always my number one person that I take care of. I also oversee everybody's looks, and take a couple of contestants. We all work together, and I’ll have my hands in every style. 

How do contemporary hair trends come into play when you're creating looks?

I am really acutely aware of the trends. There's many times where people will see something on Instagram and it's been filtered or altered so much. Because of this, they will have unrealistic expectations. We like to keep it super real. 

When looking at contemporary styles, I love to turn to hip hop dance because they create trends.

Is there a look that you created for the nominated season that you're the most proud of? 

This season we had a lot of natural textures – a lot of tight curl and coil. I wanted to utilize that to the best of my ability because it's one of my favorite textures to work with. We explored roping, sewing, and knotting. We created these beautiful silhouettes that just really transpired on stage. They became super iconic, and you can tell the contestants loved it.

Do you have any favorite products that are key to creating your looks? How often are you using extensions, wigs, and hairpieces? 

Wigs, hairpieces, and extensions are used every day. Listen, I have seven sisters, and my sisters say, “How come I don't have hair like that?” I go, “Because you don't have a partial wig on, and you don't have extensions.” 

It's so much smoke and mirrors that you have to be really mindful of not taking it too far. Some products that I absolutely love are a high resin tail comb and my Gama dryer. I also love the InStyler. I love a lot of different tools that help you create different silhouettes and creations. I'm all about something new. 

One more mainstream product that everyone should add to their rotation: dry shampoo. Because budgets are so cheap, I like TRESemme’s over the counter dry shampoo. It is great, and I tell my sisters about it all the time.

I am also obsessed with the Oribe texture spray and dry shampoos. I use a lot of that on Lionel and my contestants because they’re high performance products, and I know I’m going to nail it. 

Want to break into Hollywood as a hairstylist? For more hairstyling tips from Dean Banowetz, visit Hollywood Hair Guy Training Academy where Banowetz offers educational boot camps for people who want to get into the industry. “I teach how to do wig wraps and pass along my other tricks,” says Banowetz. 

[Images courtesy of Disney and Dean Banowetz]

A University of Michigan graduate, Lizzy Sherman is an award-winning writer/editor. Her work has appeared in publications including Sports Illustrated, Healthline, Beauty Launchpad, DAYSPA, CNET, Entertainment Tonight, and more. She has been a featured guest speaker at Cal State University Northridge, Digital LA, and The National Association of Audience Marketing Professionals. When she's not writing, Lizzy enjoys yoga and playing guitar. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter: @zillizy, @zillizy16