As American Idol gets closer to crowning its next winner, the show is also in the process of picking a new judge. After Katy Perry announced she'd be leaving following this current season, many people have been putting their two cents in as to who could possibly replace her. Former famous Idol contestants have expressed a desire to be a judge, while Perry suggested Jelly Roll. And fellow judge Lionel Richie pitched some big names as well. Now, one pop star has confirmed they have no interest in being on the show, and I really want them to reconsider.
This will mark the first time since American Idol’s revival debuted in 2018 that a judge will be leaving the panel, as Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan have been in the seats since then. Of course, the show had a rotating judges' panel in its original incarnation, so this is really nothing new. Still, with Perry departing, you can’t help but wonder who will be taking over. ABC has yet to announce her replacement, so until then, the speculation is continuing. One singer who does not want to be in consideration is Pink, who tells ET that she's "not set up" for the position for one key reason:
I don't like hurting people's feelings.
It makes sense why Pink doesn’t want to do the show. I mean, having to tell people “No” at their auditions and giving very constructive feedback can definitely be challenging. But this does make me sad, because she would definitely be a perfect addition. She’s been in the music industry for a while and could certainly impart some keen wisdom. And it would be fun to see how her pop-punk-rock style influences the contestants. While she may be afraid of hurting people’s feelings, she certainly is not afraid to go above and beyond when it comes to her music and her choreography, and it’s a shame she doesn't want to bring her signature style to Idol.
Even though she doesn’t have interest in being a regular judge on American Idol, that doesn’t necessarily mean she won’t ever do it. Perhaps she could just be a guest judge or fill in for someone for an episode or two later down the line. At the very least, she can always be a mentor to help out the aspiring singers rather than seriously critiquing them. She definitely has a lot to offer, and it'd simply be a joy to see her on American Idol in whatever capacity.
Meanwhile, there's currently no telling who could possibly take over for Katy Perry and who the network might be eyeing. Whether they’ll go with a former champion, someone that one of the judges have suggested, or perhaps someone completely different is hard to predict. It would be fun if a former judge were to come back, but it seems we will just have to wait a little longer to see who American Idol chooses. And here's hoping Pink possibly changes her mind at some point.
At present, American Idol has selected its Top 3 following a magical trip to Walt Disney World. The three-hour Season 22 finale is set to air this Sunday, May 19 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC as part of the 2024 TV schedule. Hopefully, it'll be a memorable final show for Katy Perry.
