American Idol‘s newest season airs Sunday nights at 8/7c, and the iconic singing competition series already kicked off with a host of new talent from all parts of the country. Judging this season are a handful of legends in the music industry, including Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie. Ryan Seacrest will also return to host, and Dancing with the Stars champion Bobby Bones will take on the role of in-house mentor.
Although the singing competition has had a plethora of beloved judges over the years, Katy Perry is definitely a fan favorite this time around, with a recent poll showing 44% of fans voting for Perry as their favorite judge. In second place with a 32% fan rating is Luke Bryan, and last but not least, Lionel Richie raked in a 24% vote from fans, which isn’t too bad for third place.
According to Gold Derby, despite Richie snagging last place among fan favorites, Lionel’s supporters actually took the time to leave plenty of comments to show their love. “Lionel is the only realistic judge. Love him” and “Love Lionel Richie! He’s way wiser than the other two!” Richie is also the only judge with an Oscar and a 2017 Kennedy Center honor, which fellow judge Luke Bryan took place in to pay tribute to his American Idol cast mate. You can view the performance above.
For those of you who are hoping to audition for the singing competition, look no further. According to ABC, auditions are actually closed now, so you’ll have to wait for next season to audition. However, auditions will be opening back up this summer, so you can start preparing your audition song and/or tape now!
“Thanks to everyone who auditioned!” ABC wrote on their website. “Don’t miss the new season in 2019 when the journey continues with host Ryan Seacrest and all-star judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie.”
According to the site, most of the auditions took place in August and September of 2018, so chances are the auditions for the 2019-2020 season will be open around the same time later this year. For a list of the cities auditions were held last year, check out ABC’s website.
Keep an eye out for ABC’s announcement for an updated list of cities here, and keep in mind you must be 15-years-old to audition. The website above will list more details on specific audition locations, full eligibility requirements, submission forms, and terms and conditions once the auditions re-open.
You can also start preparing your audition tape early, if you want to get a head start on auditions. If you aren’t able to make it to any of the tour stops, or none of the stops are near your hometown, you can submit your audition videos online via this website, or upload your talent to Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or Musical.ly using the hashtag #TheNextIdol.
In the meantime, enjoy the newest, rebooted season of American Idol, and don’t forget to vote for your favorite contestant!
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