Key Takeaways
- Simon Cowell praises Carrie Underwood’s new role on
American Idol
, reminiscing on her audition. - Carrie aims to be constructive but kind as a judge, differing from TV icon Simon Cowell.
- Carrie Underwood defends criticism about joining
American Idol
, highlighting her musical versatility.
Simon Cowell has never been one to hold back, and he has something to say about Carrie Underwood replacing Katy Perry as a judge on American Idol.
It was recently announced that Carrie, who won Season 4 of the singing competition series in 2005, will replace Katy as a judge for the upcoming 25th season of American Idol. Alongside Lionel Richie and Luke Combs, Katy, 39, had been an American Idol judge since 2018, when ABC revived the series after a two-year hiatus.
Carrie’s stint as judge makes her the first American Idol alum to ever join the judging panel. In a statement during her July announcement, Megan Wolflick, Idol showrunner and executive producer, declared Carrie’s “global superstar status as the most successful Idol winner to date makes her a perfect fit for the show,”
“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.”
What Simon Cowell Had To Say About Carrie Underwood Replacing Katy Perry As American Idol Judge
Unusually, reality TV judge Simon Cowell had nothing but kind words about Carrie Underwood joining American Idol as a judge.
“Carrie, we go back a long way. I remember her audition like it was yesterday.”
“She was so good, she’s such a sweet person.”
He even gave the country star advice on how to excel in the role on the long-running competition TV show. “It’s not that difficult doing this job, I promise you. We all feel the same things, and we don’t agree, thank God. Otherwise, life would be boring. And just enjoy it.”
Unlike Simon’s sharp tongue, which made him a household name when American Idoldebuted in 2002, Carrie Underwood plans on being much less harsh than the British record producers.
“I think I can be honest and constructive, but still kind,” the ‘Before He Cheats’ singer revealed. “And 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.”
How Carrie Underwood Has Responded To Criticism For Becoming American Idol Judge
Nearly twenty years after winning Season 4 of American Idol, Carrie Underwood is the first champ to return to the show as a judge.
Carrie has hit out at criticism of her and Luke Bryan, both country artists, sitting on the American Idol judging panel.
“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,” the 41-year-old said during a recent appearance at SiriusXM’s
Music Row Happy Hour i
n Las Vegas on Aug. 23. “I mean, I’ve got a song with Papa Roach right now. It’s a lot of fun… I like to think that I am versatile. 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,” she added.
That said, Carrie promised fair assessments of people’s singing talents. “I can’t lie,” Carrie told the TV hosts. “I just can’t. You can tell. I feel like I’ll be very honest.”
“But hopefully, you know, I can be very constructive and encouraging.”
She thinks her history with the show will help her empathize more with the contestants. “I feel like being on both sides of the coin I’ll be able to hopefully offer some insight and help and kind of a different [perspective],” she said.
Carrie Underwood’s Top 5 Albums, Based On Copies Sold | |
|---|---|
SOME HEARTS (2005) | 9,335,000 copies sold |
CARNIVAL RIDE (2007) | 4,000,000 copies sold |
BLOWN AWAY (2012) | 3,224,000 copies sold |
PLAY ON (2009) | 3,115,000 copies sold |
CRY PRETTY (2018) | 1,080,000 copies sold |
Source: BestSellingAlbums.org | |
Why Katy Perry Left American Idol
Katy Perry left American Idol to focus on her own music career.
On Feruary 12, 2024, the ‘Firework’ singer, announced that she was leaving American Idol after Season 22 during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!
“So I think this will probably be my last season for Idol,” Katy revealed. She told the talk show host that she loves the show “so much” and it has made her feel “connected with the heart of America.”
“I feel like I need to feel that pulse to my own beat.”
In another interview with Entertainment Tonight, the pop star explained what her future without the reality show would look like. “I’m just trying to make space for other things. It’s not like me ending this show means I’m going to go retire on an island, even though that would be fabulous. I’m gonna go to work.”
It was later revealed that her announcement on Jimmy Kimmel Live! may have been off the cuff as it blindsided her fellow judges. “It just made me run off the road when I first heard about it. My phone blew up,” Lionel Richie told Kimmel later that week.
The Motown icon revealed that he and Luke Bryan “didn’t know about it,” but her decision to leave the show “makes sense.” He ultimately agreed that young singers like Katy should “take some time and actually be an artist.”