While it may seem as though Keith Urban is merely a judge on American Idol, the country megastar recently revealed the many hats he wears on the show.

He tells CMT he sees himself as less of a judge and more of an advisor to young talent on which course their careers should take.

“On one hand, we’re judges, which is a term I don’t really like,” he says. “But on the other side, we’re part A&R [artists and repertoire] for the record company, and we’re part producers as well. So I feel better in those roles.”

But Keith reveals the next American Idol has got a lot to prove to the country Aussie.

“It’s somebody who really speaks to me,” he says. “And I can feel all of the humanity, really, and the vulnerability, the strength, the confidence, the conflict, the anger, all of it. For me, a great artist always knows how to convey that.”

American Idol airs Wednesdays and Thursdays on FOX.