American Idol
Page: 2
Two decades after Carrie Underwood stole hearts as a contestant on American Idol, the “Before He Cheats” superstar is returning to the show as a judge on the upcoming 25th season.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
She opened up about the new gig for the first time this week on SiriusXM’s Music Row Happy Hour in Las Vegas. “I feel like I’ve been so blessed to obviously be so rooted in country music, but I’ve been able to be a part of many other genres or music as well,” she shared of her musical experiences. “I mean, I’ve got a song with Papa Roach right now. It’s a lot of fun.”
Underwood continued, “I like to think that I am versatile and, hopefully, when I listen to people come and audition, I can have any lens I need to put on in terms of what music I’m thinking.”
Trending on Billboard
Ultimately, as a judge, she hopes to be “honest and constructive, but still kind,” before adding, “I think that’s the whole point, because people are coming in and it’s dreams. You’re part of somebody’s story from that moment on.”
Underwood was the winner of American Idol‘s fourth season in 2005 and has gone on to release nine studio albums, win entertainer of the year three times at the Academy of Country Music Awards, and take home eight Grammys. In Billboard‘s 50 Best American Idol Alumni of All Time list, Underwood was ranked at No. 2, behind only season one champ Kelly Clarkson.
“Carrie Underwood is the first American Idol alum ever to join the judging panel. Her global superstar status as the most successful Idol winner to date makes her a perfect fit for the show,” said Megan Wolflick, Idol showrunner and executive producer in a statement at the time of announcement in July. “She embodies the true spirit of Idol as she herself is the definition of the Cinderella story. Our future hopefuls will have the chance to receive advice from someone who has walked in their exact footsteps every step of the way. Carrie has always been a strong supporter of Idol, and I’m thrilled for her to be reunited with our Idol Family.”
Perry, who had spent seven seasons as a judge on the show alongside Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan since its move from original home Fox to ABC in 2018, revealed her exit from American Idol earlier this year. “I think this will probably be my last show, my last season for Idol,” she said on Jimmy Kimmel Live in February. “I love Idol so much. It’s connected me with the heart of America, but I feel like I need to go out and feel that pulse to my own beat.”
When it comes to finding success through American Idol, Carrie Underwood needs no advice. She was the winner of the music talent competiton’s fourth season in 2005, and since then, has gone on to become a three-time Academy of Country Music entertainer of the year winner and an eight-time Grammy winner who has notched 16 […]
We look at country artists who tried out for American Idol early in their careers.
It turns out you can go home again. One day after it was revealed that Carrie Underwood would be returning to American Idol as the replacement for departed judge Katy Perry, the country singer told Good Morning America that going back to the show that lifted her to global stardom 20 years ago “feels like […]
Kelly Clarkson recently performed fellow American Idol champion (and newly announced judge) Carrie Underwood’s hit “Blown Away” during the Kellyoke segment of The Kelly Clarkson Show.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
The July 25 performance was praised by fans of both Clarkson and Underwood across social media, with one viewer commenting, “Kelly Clarkson nailed it! Her voice is incredible, and she did Carrie proud!”
Trending on Billboard
Another added, “We need a full-length album collab with Kelly and Carrie.”
[embedded content]
The performance was timely, as it came just ahead of the Aug. 1 announcement that Carrie Underwood will join American Idol as a judge, replacing Katy Perry and making her the first American Idol alum to take on the major role.
“Carrie Underwood is the first American Idol alum ever to join the judging panel. Her global superstar status as the most successful Idol winner to date makes her a perfect fit for the show,” said Megan Wolflick, Idol showrunner and executive producer in a statement.
“She embodies the true spirit of Idol as she herself is the definition of the Cinderella story. Our future hopefuls will have the chance to receive advice from someone who has walked in their exact footsteps every step of the way Carrie has always been a strong supporter of Idol, and I’m thrilled for her to be reunited with our Idol Family.”
Underwood, who won the fourth season of American Idol in 2005, has since released nine studio albums and collected a slew of accolades, including eight Grammy Awards. She boasts an impressive 16 No. 1 hits on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart, which includes the Clarkson-covered “Blown Away” that marked Underwood’s 13th No. 1 single on the chart.
Her involvement with the show has also remained strong over the years; she has returned as a mentor in past seasons, offering guidance to contestants as they navigate the competition.
Underwood is set to join fellow judges Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan for American Idol’s 23rd overall season, which will air on ABC and Hulu in spring 2025. Auditions for the upcoming season are set to kick off on Aug. 12 with the return of Idol Across America, the talent search that will take place in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.
Katy Perry, who announced her departure from the show earlier this year, served as a judge alongside Richie and Bryan for seven seasons since the show moved to ABC in 2018.
In addition to her new role on American Idol, Underwood is extending her Las Vegas residency through 2025 and recently revealed a collaboration with Papa Roach on their song “Leave a Light On (Talk Away the Dark).”
She also performed in Nashville earlier this week at a tribute concert honoring the late country singer-songwriter Toby Keith.
Billboard recently ranked Underwood as the No. 2 best American Idol alum of all time, just behind Kelly Clarkson, who holds the top spot.
Country music superstar Carrie Underwood seems primed to return to the show that set her career in motion nearly two decades ago, according to reports from multiple outlets. The multi-Grammy-winning country singer is expected to replace Katy Perry as the new judge of American Idol. Underwood was the winner of American Idol‘s fourth season in […]
Just over a month ago, Katy Perry offered her farewell to American Idol after spending seven seasons as a judge on the singing competition. Perry revealed in February that she would be leaving the show, and since then, there has been plenty of speculation about who might take over the role for Idol‘s 23rd season.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
In speaking with Billboard recently, Perry’s fellow American Idol judge Luke Bryan noted that a few artists’ names have been floated as potential candidates for the role.
Trending on Billboard
“I’ve said several names. I think P!nk has been in the talks, Miley Cyrus has been in the talks, Meghan Trainor has been in the talks,” Bryan says.
Notably, P!nk has previously said that she is hesitant to take on the role of judge on American Idol, telling Entertainment Tonight, “I don’t like hurting people’s feelings … I like my day job.”
Meanwhile, Trainor said during an interview on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, “I’ve done every interview in the world and said that that is my dream job, and I have emailed three awesome people who work in that world who don’t really have the final say … but I have begged for this job … it’s my favorite show — I’ve watched it since I was a child.”
The 22nd season of Idol — which featured judges Bryan, Perry and Lionel Richie along with host Ryan Seacrest — wrapped May 19, with Abi Carter being crowned the winner.
Bryan, a two-time CMA entertainer of the year winner, also adds that he is still waiting to hear who the judges will be for the upcoming 23rd season of American Idol.
“It’s been interesting,” the country star says. “It’s been something Disney been really tightlipped about with me and Lionel and Ryan. We currently haven’t heard what the story is on who’s coming back, and if Lionel and I are coming back. I think Disney is just trying to figure out what they want to do and we’re just kind of sitting back and waiting until they decide.”
Billboard reached out to representatives for American Idol, who declined to comment. In general, judges for new seasons of Idol have been revealed later in the summer.
Bryan launched his role as a judge on American Idol during its 16th season, the same season that Perry and Richie joined as judges. Bryan tells Billboard of Perry, “Katy was really perfect for that job, and I think they’re just working real hard to find somebody that can really come in and do the job that Katy did.”
For her part, Perry recently revealed new music is coming, with “Woman’s World” set to drop July 11. The song is from her upcoming album, which will follow her 2020 album Smile.
Meanwhile, Bryan is celebrating the upcoming 10-year milestone of his Crash My Playa event, which will welcome Jason Aldean, Kane Brown, Dustin Lynch and more in 2025.
Mandisa died of complications from class III obesity, according to an autopsy report obtained by People on Tuesday (June 4). The Grammy-winning American Idol finalist was 47 years old when she was found dead on April 18. According to the autopsy report, when she was found in her Tennessee home by friends, she “was last […]
Katy Perry has spent seven seasons on American Idol searching for the best vocalists in the country, but according to her, only one singer is the blueprint: Ariana Grande.
On the red carpet following the competition series’ season 22 finale Sunday (May 19), the “Firework” musician said that this year’s newly crowned Idol winner, Abi Carter, reminds her of the former The Voice coach. “[Carter’s] voice is unlike anything I’ve heard in pop music,” Perry told Extra.
“The last time I said that, I said that about Ariana Grande when she went on The Ellen Show,” she continued. “Like, ‘Oh, this girl is the best singer of our generation.’ I don’t say that lightly.”
Trending on Billboard
The close of Idol‘s latest season marks Perry’s final turn as a judge. She, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie have served on the panel since the ABC show was rebooted in 2018.
The singer will now set her sights on crafting her next record, which will follow up 2020’s Smile. “I’m pregnant with my next album,” she joked to Extra, teasing that the project is coming soon.
Idol still hasn’t revealed which superstar will replace Perry following her exit, but if she has her way, it’ll be a certain country star who served as a guest mentor on the show earlier this season. “I gotta say Jelly Roll was crazy when he came on the show,” she told E! News in April. “I was convinced at anything he said.”
“He could run for president, he could be my pastor, I might go back to church for him,” she continued at the time. “He could sell me anything … To have any of these guys plus Jelly on the show would be amazing. I love you, Jelly!”
For the record, the “Son of a Sinner” singer is totally down. “Of course!” he said when asked at Stagecoach in April whether he’d consider the gig. “Consider? I’ve accepted the job and they haven’t offered it.”
Watch Perry gush about Grande below.
[embedded content]
05/20/2024
After 22 seasons of the show, who are the most successful entertainers to emerge from the reality singing competition?
By 
Katie Atkinson, Rania Aniftos, Fred Bronson, Stephen Daw, Kyle Denis, Paul Grein, Gil Kaufman, Jason Lipshutz, Joe Lynch, Heran Mamo, Rebecca Milzoff, Melinda Newman, Andrew Unterberger
05/20/2024