Why is Katy Perry leaving American Idol?

Katy Perry is an American pop star and TV personality known for her hit songs. Perry is one of the top selling music artists in history. She started her singing career in 2001 and recorded her debut album, Katy Hudson. She got her breakthrough in 2008 with the hit single I Kissed a Girl, which made her famous. Over the years, she has released many successful albums, including Teenage Dream (2010).

She has served as a judge on American Idol since 2018, and has announced that Season 22 will be her final season on the show. After being on American Idol for 7 years, she is known for her humor, honesty, and music expertise as a judge on the show. Perry’s exit news left fans curious about the reasons behind her decision. Let’s take a look at the reason behind her exit and who will be replacing her for Season 23, which is set to premiere on March 9, 2025.

Why is Katy Perry leaving American Idol?

American Idol Season 22 will be Katy Perry’s last season. After 7 years as an American Idol judge, Katy Perry is exiting the show. On Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Perry announced that she will be leaving the show after the 22nd season. She said, “So I think this will probably be my last season for Idol.” In an interview with ET, Perry shared, “I am always emotional on finale, but gosh when this finale comes, I better just tape the false lashes to my face. I'm just trying to make space for other things.”

She added, “It's not like me ending this show means I'm going to go retire on an island, even though that would be fabulous. I'm gonna go to work." On Jimmy Kimmel Live!, her fellow judge, Lionel Richie, reacted on the news about her exit and said, “ No, we didn’t know about it, but it makes sense.” In an interview with ET, Richie said, “She's got a baby and she's got a family, got new music, and it's going to be amazing. I'm pulling for her. I told her, 'If you need help on the road, Luke [Bryan] and I will be right there.'"

In an interview with Billboard, Katy’s other fellow judge, Luke Bryan, talked about her exit from the show and said, “Katy was really perfect for that job, and I think they’re just working real hard to find somebody that can really come in and do the job that Katy did.”

Who is replacing Katy Perry on American Idol?

In August 2024, Carrie Underwood was announced on Good Morning America as the new American Idol judge replacing Katy Perry. Underwood is a popular singer who was the American Idol Season 4 winner in 2005. The president of Disney Television Group, Craig Erwich, stated, “This upcoming season marks 20 years since Carrie won America’s hearts on ‘Idol’ and launched her successful multi-Grammy Award-winning career. As a former Idol and dynamic musical force, she brings a remarkably unique perspective to one of the most popular shows on television. This is a full-circle moment both for the show and audiences at home who have been tuning in for over two decades. Welcome home, Carrie.”

Megan Wolflick, the executive producer of the show, stated that Underwood will be the 1st American Idol alum to join the judging panel. She said, “Her global superstar status as the most successful ‘Idol’ winner to date makes her a perfect fit for the show. She embodies the true spirit of ‘Idol’ as she herself is the definition of the Cinderella story. Our future hopefuls will have the chance to receive advice from someone who has walked in their exact footsteps every step of the way. Carrie has always been a strong supporter of ‘Idol,’ and I’m thrilled for her to be reunited with our ‘Idol’ family.”

On Good Morning America, in her announcement video as the new American Idol judge, Underwood said, “I went from nobody knowing my name to tens of millions of people watching the show. I'm proud of everything that I was able to accomplish on the show and I'm so proud of everything that I've accomplished since." On The Highway’s Music Row Happy Hour special, she was asked what the audience can expect from her as a judge.

She said, “I like to think that I am versatile. Hopefully, when I listen to people come and audition, I can have any lens I need to put on in terms of what music I’m thinking, And I think that’s the whole point, ’cause people are coming in and, you know, it’s dreams. You’re a part of somebody’s story from that moment on. I think it’s important to be honest, but it’s also very important to be kind, so hopefully I can marry all of those together and be a good judge.”

Read more: Judges of American Idol