Following Katy Perry’s recent exit from American Idol, who will replace her as a judge in Season 23? Kelly Clarkson, the first winner of the competition in 2002, has been rumored to be a contender. However, Clarkson recently dismissed any chance of stepping into Perry’s role in the near future. Read on to find out why.
Perry and her fellow judges, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan, have been clear about the qualities they desire in the new judge to replace the “Firework” singer. Richie mentioned on Idol that their new co-judge must possess a “personality,” a “quirk,” and the ability to “tolerate two crazy brothers like me and Luke.” Perry added that her replacement should be someone honest and “constructive with their words.”
Perry continued, “Someone that is leading with their heart – heart-centered and less ego – and isn’t afraid to speak their mind and isn’t afraid if sometimes that’s polarizing, isn’t afraid of negative comments, isn’t afraid of getting booed just as long as they are speaking their mind and true to themselves.”
In April, Richie told Entertainment Tonight that he already has a list of potential replacements, including the first Idol winner. "I've got my list, but Kelly, if you don't have anything else to do, I'd like to drop that out there," Richie said. "I'm a big fan."
Amidst the speculation that Kelly Clarkson might replace Perry, The Kelly Clarkson Show host revealed that she could not be a judge on the very show that launched her incredibly successful career.
Why Does Kelly Clarkson Not Want To Be A Judge On American Idol?
Kelly Clarkson during "American Idol" Season 1 Finale – Performance Show at Kodak Theatre in … [+]
Kelly Clarkson said that she cannot replace Katy Perry as a judge on American Idol because it would interrupt her family life. She and her two kids are currently based in New York City, where her talk show is filmed.
“I can’t do that, only because I promised my kids,” the singer explained to Entertainment Tonight. “I was like, ‘I wanna be there as much as I possibly can.’ And it would put me in L.A., and that’s why I had to quit The Voice, which I love that team. And I miss them so much.”
Clarkson served as a judge on NBC's The Voice from Seasons 14 through 21 and returned for her ninth and final season in Season 23. In October 2023, she relocated her talk show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, to New York City for its fifth season.
At the time, Clarkson revealed that she left the singing show during a time she was struggling. “Full disclosure, I put on a smile a lot of those times because I was struggling a lot in my personal life,” she told USA Today in October. “I’ve learned a lot about what I’m capable of handling, and also what you should not handle. That was me saying ‘bye’ to ‘The Voice’ and having this big move. I love that family, but I was like, ‘I’m struggling. I can’t smile anymore. I don’t feel like smiling.’
Clarkson shares two children, River Rose, 9, and Remington, 8, with her ex-husband Brandon Blackstock. The couple separated in 2020, and their divorce was finalized in March 2022. Returning to American Idol would require the singer to move back to LA — something she does not want to do at the moment.
"I wanted a life for us. And we enjoy the park every day and we enjoy each other," she said of her family’s life in NYC. "As a parent — people get this — you only get so much time until they don't want to hang out with you."
"That's the reason [I can't do Idol]. It's my kiddos,” she added.
Stay tuned to learn who will replace Katy Perry on American Idol.
