American Idol judge Katy Perry announced a few months back that she would be resigning from the judging panel on the show once the current season wraps. Since then, there has been a ton of speculation about who should take her spot from fans and fellow judges alike.
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According to reports from Life & Style, Lionel Richie admitted that he wants a friendly face to join him (and fellow judge Luke Bryan) behind the desk on American Idol.
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“This has been a very stressful time for Luke and Lionel because they’ve been left in the dark about so much,” said an insider, according to Life & Style.
When asked about who he wants to take the soon-to-be empty seat, Richie has said that he has his eye on “at least two” but has not revealed who they are.
According to Life & Style’s insider, Richie is pining for Diana Ross, Kenny Chesney, and Tim McGraw, all of whom have collaborated with Richie in the past. However, Richie has not said anything publicly about who he wants as a new Idol judge. It’s all speculation at this point.
In past interviews, Lionel Richie has said that he could see singer Kelly Clarkson or even Taylor Swift being excellent judges on Idol. Luke Bryan and Idol host Ryan Seacrest have said that they could see Meghan Trainor filling the role well.
Why is Katy Perry Leaving American Idol?
According to the singer herself, Perry will be leaving American Idol to focus more on her music career and penning new work.
It’s an exciting venture, to say the least. Perry has not headlined a tour since 2018 nor released a studio album since the 2020 release Smile. She’ll be sorely missed on Idol, but we’re looking forward to seeing the star back on stage!
(Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images)
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