After Katy Perry announced her departure from the judges tables at American Idol, the question was: who would replace her? A few names surfaced including Miley Cyrus, Pink, and according to Luke Bryan, Meghan Trainor who wanted the job very badly. However none of those performers will be judging the show next season.
The woman who broke out in 2005 as the Idol winner of season 4, Carrie Underwood will return to the show but this time as a judge replacing Katy Perry.
Underwood has returned to “American Idol” several times as a mentor, and also performed on the show’s season finale in 2022. She’s also no stranger to ABC viewers, having emceed the CMA Awards on the Alphabet network between 2008 and 2019. She’ll take the chair next to Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan as the newest judge when the show returns next year for Season 23.
She’s also considered one of the most successful artists of all time, selling more than 85 million records globally and wining countless awards including eight Grammys. There is some criticism that the judge's panel now consists of two country music artists.
“I love ‘Idol’ so much, it’s connected me with the heart of America,” she said while revealing the news on an episode of “Jimmy Kimmel Live.” “But I feel like I need to go out to feel that pulse of my own beat.”
Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie continue this year, as the trio matched the seven-season stint of original “American Idol” judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson.
“I love the show so much but I want to see the world,” Perry said on “Kimmel.” “Maybe I’ll come back if they have me one day.”
“American Idol” will enter its eighth season on ABC, having been renewed last spring.
Here are the videos of Carrie's audition for the show and the moment she was announced as the American Idol.
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