Heavy/Getty Carrie Underwood, August 2024
Former “American Idol” winner Carrie Underwood made headlines on August 1, 2024, as ABC announced she’s replacing Katy Perry at the judges’ table for season 23. Twenty years after Underwood auditioned for the show, she’ll become the first former contestant to be hired as a judge — an accomplishment that many fans are thrilled about.
But not everyone is feeling good about Underwood’s hiring. Many fans have expressed worry that the show will skew even more “country” with Underwood on board, while others don’t think Underwood will bring zany, unexpected moments to “Idol” like Perry often did.
Longtime Carrie Underwood Fans Are Over the Moon About Her Hiring on ‘Idol’
.@carrieunderwood went from American Idol to an American icon. This is her story. 🎶
When “American Idol” posted the news of Underwood’s hiring on social media, its posts were flooded with fans sharing their excitement.
Among the most-liked comments was from a fan who wrote, “You guys couldn’t have picked better than this. Carrie is one of the reasons American Idol became an iconic show. ❤️”
Someone else commented, “My all time favorite American Idol winner! Loved her from Day 1! She’s going to be a great judge! She’s down to earth and knows what it feels like to be a contestant. I’ve seen her in concert and at her Reflection show in Vegas, she’s amazing! 🎤🎶
Another happy fan chimed in, “Yesss!!! I’m totally going to watch this season only because of Carrie being a judge, love her ❤️🙌”
But not everyone is happy about the choice. Plenty of other “Idol” fans predicted that Underwood won’t add as much flavor to the judging panel as Perry, who told “Entertainment Tonight” in May that she hoped ABC would hire “someone fearless” to take her seat.
“I hope it’s someone that doesn’t mince their words, maybe a little polarizing just like myself,” Perry teased, which does not line up with what some fans think Underwood brings to the table.
One wrote on Instagram, “This is awful! She will add nothing in personality:( Kate Perry was lively & witty. This show will spiral down again”
“Well, that means I won’t watch idol again this year,” someone else wrote on Facebook. “She thinks she is all that and then some. She needs to remember where she came from. I know people who have worked at her concerts. It is reported that she is very mean and put people down like she is better than everyone else. So no I don’t like her any better than Katy.”
Fans Say They’re Worried Carrie Underwood Will Make ‘Idol’ Too Country & Unamusing
For months, there had been widespread speculation about possible replacements for Perry, whose final show was the season 22 finale in May, after judging the show for seven seasons.
Celebrities who were often mentioned as likely contenders included other former “Idol” winners like Fantasia Barrino and Jordin Sparks as well as recent guest mentors including Meghan Trainor, Jon Bon Jovi and JellyRoll.
All the rumors got some fans’ hopes up that their favorite contender would get the job, leaving them disappointed with the final pick.
On Instagram, one viewer wrote, “Boooooooooo!!! We wanted fantasia”
On the Heavy on American Idol Facebook page, someone wrote, “Meghan Trainer should of been the one they picked . She has more personality would’ve made a great judge.”
“I just feel Carrie would be so boring,” someone else added. “I think Katy’s replacement should be a little humorous.”
Other viewers expressed concern that the show would grow even more “country” with longtime judge Luke Bryan already a huge country star. There have been many complaints in recent years about so many country artists making the finals, with half of the last six winners being male country singers — Chayce Beckham, Noah Thompson and Laine Hardy.
One person weighed in on an “Idol” post about Underwood, writing, “So it’s DEFINITELY gonna be Country Idol now. 😂😂😂”
“I love her but don’t want this to turn into a country music idol,” another weighed in.
Viewers on Reddit have been especially critical of the move, also concerned about Underwood’s country roots, with one person stating, “This show is going to get even more country now…watch 20 of the top 24 just be country artists…”
Another person declared, “I’m literally not going to watch for the first time ever.”
Despite fans’ tug-of-war over her hiring, Underwood sounds thrilled with the career move.
“I mean, it feels like home,” Underwood said on the August 2 edition of “GMA,” referring to joining the cast in 2025, 20 years after winning the fourth season. “There’s so many people that even still work on the show that were there when I was a contestant.”
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Fans Divided Over Carrie Underwood as New ‘Idol’ Judge: ‘This is Awful’