Carrie Underwood Expected To Replace Katy Perry As Next American Idol Judge: Details

Carrie Underwood is expected to replace Katy Perry as the next American Idol judge, marking her return to the iconic singing competition nearly 20 years after winning the title.

By Seema Sinha

Updated on Aug 01, 2024 | 02:24 PM IST | 32.9K

Carrie Underwood (Getty Images)

Carrie Underwood is coming full circle, returning to where it all began. The Season 4 winner of American Idol is reported to join Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan as a judge on Season 23 of the show, nearly 20 years after she first launched her career and won the title. Page Six and THR confirmed the news, which was first reported by TMZ. An official announcement on the matter is still awaited from Underwood and ABC, the TV network that houses the show in question. Good Morning America too is expected to announce Underwood’s hiring sometime today, per USA Today.

The country crooner will replace Katy Perry on the judges' panel. The latter announced her exit from the show in February after seven seasons citing a desire to “go and see the world and maybe bring new music," as the reason for her departure. Earlier this month, the pop star dropped her latest single, Woman’s World, along with a music video, in anticipation of her forthcoming album, 143.

The song marked Perry’s first musical effort since Smile, which came out in August 2020. Perry’s next single, Lifetimes, inspired by her 3 ½-year-old daughter Daisy, is due on August 9. 143 is set to release on September 20.

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Underwood, 41, for her part, has established herself as one of the most successful American Idol alumni after winning the show in 2005 when Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul, and Simon Cowell served as judges. Carrie now has eight Grammy trophies decorating the shelves at her home among other coveted musical statuettes. She has since released nine albums and headlined multiple tours. She also returned to American Idol numerous times over the years, including as a mentor on Season 16.

Before Underwood, artists like Kelly Clarkson, Pink, Miley Cyrus, and Meghan Trainor were rumored to be in the running for the chair vacated by Perry.

Clarkson, for the record, is another prominent alumna of Idol. The singer, who served as a coach on NBC’s The Voice from Season 14 to 21 and then on Season 23, was the inaugural American Idol winner. She, who now hosts the daytime Emmy-winning self-titled talk show, told ET on July 7 that she couldn't accept the American Idol judge position even if offered because she is now stationed in New York with her kids. Accepting the Idol role would require her to be in LA, which is why she had to leave The Voice in the first place.

The most recent American Idol season, Season 22, concluded in May, with 22-year-old Abi Carter of Indio, California, taking home the title.

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