American Idol stands out as one of the most renowned television competitions, not only for the numerous talented artists who compete but also for the memorable judges featured in recent seasons.
One of the most famous judges in the current line up is Katy Perry, who has already announced that she won’t be returning for the upcoming season of the show. She said that she intends to focus on her new music, as she has a new album coming up.
After months of speculation, it seems like ABC has found the perfect replacement for Perry: Carrie Underwood, as reported by Deadline. The country artist rose to fame after winning the fourth season of the show.
Carrie Underwood set to become the new judge of American Idol 2025
According to the report, Underwood is expected to sit alongside Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan on the panel for Season 23. Both Richie and Bryan, as well as Perry, joined the show during Season 16 when ABC rebooted the competition.
Per Deadline, other names that were considered for the role included Miley Cyrus and Justin Bieber, as well as Pink and Meghan Trainor. However, the move makes sense considering the history of Underwood with the show.
Underwood has sold 85 million records and, alongside Kelly Clarkson, is considered one of the most successful artists coming out of the show. For now, there are no details about her potential salary, but it’s expected to be a large sum, as Perry reportedly earned $25 million per season.