Season 22 (Season 7 on ABC) of American Idol is right around the corner, and fans have been curious to find out who will make up the panel of judges. Now the wait is over as the show has revealed who will be taking up a seat to watch contestants sing their hearts out when the reality TV singing competition returns.
It turns out that Luke Bryan, Katy Perry, and Lionel Richie will claim another season on the show, with Ryan Seacrest also resuming his role as host.
The announcement came with the inclusion of a post on Twitter, which featured the caption: “Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie will return as American Idol judges along with host Ryan Seacrest for Season 7. Audition NOW!”
How To Audition For Season 22 Of American Idol?
Earlier this month, the network pinned a tweet showcasing all the dates and cities in which folks can audition for the show, and the latest caption prompts aspiring singers and musicians to ‘audition now.’
State-wide auditions for American Idol currently run from Aug. 4-Sept. 6 (subject to change), and producers encourage those who can’t make it to one of the locations to sign up for a live virtual audition, beginning on Aug. 2 as part of “Idol Across America,” where they will conduct a nationwide search for the next biggest star.
Hopefuls can visit AmericanIdol.com/auditions for more details.
Bryan, Perry, and Richie have served together as judges on Idol since 2018 when the program moved its network to ABC from its longtime home at FOX. While the recent Idol news is confirmation for fans, who were waiting patiently to find out whether or not one – or all – of the judges would step back from the show, some of the decisions aren’t all that surprising.
Luke Bryan Will Continue His Role As A Judge Until The Show Stops Growing
In a recent interview with Taste of Country, Bryan hinted that he was interested in continuing his role on the series “as long as the show is growing and popping.”
“My future with Idol [will continue] as long as the show is growing and popping, and we feel like we’re doing beautiful work as a show,” Bryan told the outlet. “We felt like this year was what we had all worked together to get to. As long as the vibe feels like we’re moving onward and upward — and we’re getting emotionally moved, we’re telling the stories of kids and the American spirit, and it’s a show that kids [and] parents can cry and laugh together and have fun [watching] — it’s gonna be a tough show for me and Lionel and Katy to walk away from.”
Iam Tongi Is The Latest Winner Of American Idol
Last season was, indeed, an exceptionally emotional outcome as it crowned winner Iam Tongi, whose heartbreaking story resonated with people all over the country.
The 18-year-old Hawaii native, who claimed he was priced out of paradise, touched hearts with his initial audition of James Blunt’s “Monsters,” which he dedicated to his late father, who always pushed him to play music. Tongi made it all the way to the finale, beating out fellow top three contestants Megan Danielle and Colin Stough.
Aside from winning over the cast and viewers with emotionally moving content, American Idol proved successful in numbers last season as it earned the No. 1 position for ABC’s programming in both “Total Viewers and Adults 18-49,” according to a new press release.
Fans can look for American Idol Season 22 to return in the spring of 2024.
