It appears as though every time a guest graces the couch of the much-loved talk show ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!,’ there are some surprising revelations that are made. On Monday night, American singer Katy Perry was the guest and she revealed that after much consideration, she’s ready to leave ‘American Idol’ following the conclusion of the upcoming 22nd season of the show.
“I think this will probably be my last season for Idol,” she said.
The ‘Dark Horse’ crooner has been a part of ‘American Idol’ for seven seasons, serving as a judge alongside Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan since the revival of the talent show by ABC in 2018.
When asked by host, Jimmy Kimmel, about how long she would continue being connected to the show, she replied, “Well, you know, this fall, this September, I’m going to be doing this huge music festival in Brazil called Rock in Rio. It’s really exciting. It’s a big deal for people all over the world, especially my Brazilian fans.”
After eliciting some surprised reactions from the seated audience, the singer further remarked, “I love Idol so much. It's connected me with the heart of America. But I need to feel the pulse of my own beat.” With her response, many fans of her are speculating new music, perhaps, a new album from the singer, considering her last studio album was released in 2020.
Meanwhile, when asked by Kimmel if her fellow Idol judges (Richie, Bryan) were aware of her departure from the show, Perry responded, “Well, they’ll find out tonight!”
Because the news is so fresh, there isn’t any announcement regarding who would be taking her place as a judge on the show. However, Perry did mention that she, along with Richie and Bryan, will now be at par with the seven-season tenure of the original ‘American Idol’ judges Paula Abdul, Simon Cowell, and Randy Jackson, who played a pivotal role in launching the show on Fox back in 2002.
“I love the show so much but I want to see the world,” Katy said, adding, “Maybe I'll come back if they have me one day.”
The 22nd season of ‘American Idol’ is set to premiere on ABC on February 18.
