American Idol wrapped up a successful 22nd season in May, crowning the show’s first female champion in more than four years. Much of the postseason buzz, however, has surrounded Katy Perry’s replacement. The “Part Of Me” singer exited the show after seven seasons as a judge. One former American Idol winner, Kelly Clarkson, has already ruled herself out. And recently, another champion also removed his name from the hat.
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Scotty McCreery Says, “Absolutely Not,” To Judging ‘American Idol’
Scotty McCreery was just 16 when he beat out Lauren Alaina for the season 10 title on American Idol. Now 30, the North Carolina native released his fifth studio album, Rise & Fall, on May 10. “Career-wise, I’m not sure I’ve ever been at a more thankful place,” McCreery told People. “I’m just enjoying where I’m at, and I think making this record, I allowed myself to try new things because of that.”
The “Five More Minutes” singer told fellow Idol alum Jennifer Hudson that taking up the judge’s chair does not appeal to him.
“Absolutely not. I don’t want to do that. Do you?” he said during a conversation Wednesday (June 12) on The Jennifer Hudson Show. “I know what it feels like being on the stage, being judged. I don’t want to put that on somebody else.”
This Winner Wants Katy Perry’s Job, Actually
Competing on Idol is certainly a pressure cooker, and it makes sense that McCreery wouldn’t want to be part of that for someone else. However, another American Idol winner has expressed quite the opposite perspective. Almost immediately after Perry announced her departure, season 6 winner Jordin Sparks tossed her name into the hat.
Sparks thinks her time on the other side of the chair is precisely what makes her the perfect judge. “I’ve been in their shoes,” the “No Air” singer recently said. “I know the insanity that comes when the show you’re on gets really popular, and all of a sudden you go from being a ‘normal’ person to being so recognizable.”
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