Since its premiere on ABC, American Idol has maintained the same judges have, but that's about to change. Prior to the start of Season 22, Katy Perry announced she'd leave her post at the historic judges’ table after this season. Her time on the show has been marked with heartfelt feedback for contestants and occasionally problematic moments, like when one former contestant claimed she felt “shamed” by the singer. Despite it all, she’s managed to keep the judge’s panel balanced, occupying space between Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan. Now, she's provided an idea for her replacement, and I disagree with it.
While Katy Perry’s departure is bittersweet, she has a good reason for leaving American Idol's judges table. She plans to enter a new phase in her career when filming wraps, and it seems like she wants to leave future Idol contestants in good hands. Though it’s unlikely she has any say, that hasn’t stopped her from voicing her opinions on who should replace her. In an interview with E! News on April 15th after the live show aired, Perry threw a certain country singer into the mix:
I gotta say Jelly Roll was crazy when he came on the show. 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. He could sell me anything.
The fan-favorite performer recently appeared on the coveted "Aulani Round" of the Season 22 competition, serving as one of the mentors to the contestants. Not only did Jelly Roll make a great impression on the singer’s competition for the American Idol title, but he also seemed to win over the heart of the "E.T." singer. So much so that she wants him to replace her alongside Richie and Bryan in future seasons. She also said:
So I love him. And to have any of these guys plus Jelly on the show would be amazing. I love you, Jelly!
There’s no denying that Jelly Roll is talented and a phenomenal mentor, yet I’m not so sure he’s the right person to replace Katy Perry. For one, if he is chosen, the judges would be made up entirely of men. Not even the original Idol that premiered on Fox back in 2002 was unwise enough to create an all-male panel.
In addition to having three men judging the contestants, there would also be a lack of diversity among music genres. Right now, Lionel Richie represents R&B/Soul, Katy Perry reps Pop and Luke Bryan signifies Country. If the Grammy nominee were to be hired, that would mean half of the judge’s panel are country singers, potentially making it harder for artists of other genres to get balanced feedback.
To me, the "Daisies" singer might not be right in suggesting Jelly Roll as her replacement, but she does have the right idea when it comes to what traits she wants the new judge to have:
I want a truth teller. I want someone that is not afraid to tell the truth in a graceful way.
In my opinion, this truth teller should be a woman and perhaps even a former American Idol contestant. It’s no secret that Season 6 champion Jordin Sparks has been vocal about filling Katy Perry’s shoes. It would be nice to have someone sitting at the judges’ table who knows exactly what it’s like to be on the opposite side of the situation. Also, like Jelly Roll, she’d make a great mentor.
There's currently no official word on who is being seriously considered for Katy Perry’s seat, but it’s only a matter of time before the news will be revealed. For now, American Idol fans can watch the “California Gurls” judge one last set of contestants by tuning into ABC on Sunday nights at 8 p.m. ET as part of the 2024 TV schedule. If you miss it live, you can catch new episodes the next day using an active Hulu subscription.
