It’s a special homecoming for Scotty McCreery…

The 30-year-old part-Puerto Rican country singer and former American Idol champion returned to the AI stage on Sunday to perform his single “Cab in a Solo.”

The North Carolina native, who dominated Season 10 all the way to the finale and then bested Lauren Alaina for the crown. has released five albums and gained entry into the Grand Ole Opry.

He returned to the American Idol stage to show off the vocal chops that won him the title in the first place.

McCreery released the breakup ballad “Cab in a Solo” in August 2023 as the lead single off his upcoming sixth studio album, Rise and Fall, which comes out on May 10.

The “Damn Strait” singer made lost love sound downright charming on the American Idol stage: So now I’m finding out how a heartbreak taste / With a Silver Oak, 1998 / Drinking cab in a solo / Solo in the cab of my truck.

McCreery, who was a wise-beyond-his-years teenager in 2011, is all grown up. He’s now a husband, a father, a hitmaker, and a Grand Ole Opry member.

But for some longtime fans of American Idol, his victory still “feels like yesterday.” “You’re my favorite AI grand winner..,” one X/Twitter user wrote.

“Cab in a Solo” climbed to No. 2 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart. Performing it on the stage where his career began was a surreal moment for McCreery.

More than that, though, the “I Love You This Big” singer couldn’t wait to offer some support to season 22’s top 10 contestants.

“I’m always happy to chat and help them any way I can. I mean, it’s a ringer they put you through on Idol,” McCreery told Country Now. “Any of those TV shows, not just Idol. It’s a lot at once and you’ve got to just do your best to get through it and sound good and pick great songs and look confident. If I can help, I love doing that stuff.”