After it was confirmed that Katy Perry was leaving American Idol to focus on her music, the rumor mill began to churn in regard to who could possibly replace her as a judge. Fans and even judges Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan threw around possible names. And, all the while, producers remained cagey regarding who might be tapped for the job. In a major turn of events, it was ultimately reported that Idol winner Carrie Underwood would join the series. Now, Richie is already welcoming her to the team or "the ham sandwich squad."
Carrie Underwood won American Idol Season 4 in 2005 and has made a few appearances on the series since then. But this will be her first time serving as a regular judge on the singing competition, and the gig was seemingly a long time coming. Lionel Richie, who has been a judge on Idol since the ABC revival premiered in 2018, spoke with E! News, sharing his thoughts on the series' latest addition, and he’s definitely speaking the truth:
It makes a lot of sense. It's not someone we have to get used to. And the fact that she has a great story, she came from American Idol.
The country superstar is already widely loved and, of course, she has plenty of experience with American Idol. More specifically, she also knows what it takes to win or, at the very least, get very far in the competition. While some elements have surely changed since her time on the series, the "Jesus, Take the Wheel" singer certainly has nearly 20 years of professional experience to pull from. She is one of the most famous American Idol contestants, and she would know a thing or two about what to say to the aspiring singers when it comes to making their way through the competition, as Lionel Richie opined:
What a great judge. We know how you feel.' As artists, we know how you feel, but we've never been in that oval that says American Idol. She's been there, done that.
Following Katy Perry's eventful sendoff, the change to the judges' panel may take some time to adjust to. Yet Carrie Underwood is surely capable and should be able to win viewers over quickly. Plus, it will be fun to see her dynamic with Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan, as she's going to be sandwiched in between them. It’s a prospect that Richie is also looking forward to, and he used the perfect metaphor to describe the new trio:
Just be a ham sandwich like the two of us. Welcome to the ham sandwich squad.
You gotta love a good food metaphor! But, seriously, It already sounds like the "Hello" singer is as ready as ever to welcome Carrie Underwood back to the American Idol family in this new role. We'll have to wait and see how she ultimately performs in her new position but, given her skills, knowledge and more, I'm confident that she'll be an effective judge and cerebral member of the "ham sandwich squad."
American Idol Season 23 will not be part of the 2024 TV schedule, as it's set to premiere midseason in 2025. But, with auditions starting up soon, it shouldn’t be long until the trio of judges starts posting photos from set to get fans excited. I can already tell it’s going to be a fun season, and Carrie Underwood's hiring just makes me all the more pumped!
