With Katy Perry’s exit from American Idol confirmed earlier in May, after seven years on the show (she joined for Season 16 and ended with Season 22), all eyes are on who’ll replace her. A few names have already been tossed around, including country music singer Jelly Roll (real name Jason Bradley DeFord).
Not only is the “Save Me” musician super talented but he is also considered to be one of the nicest people in showbiz. So, why wouldn’t he make for a great replacement? Perry has responded to the chatter about Jelly Roll taking her spot and joining current judges Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan. And it’s not that he’s not qualified, but it would make the panel all-male, and Perry feels we need some diversity.
“That would be too many men, let’s be honest,” she told E! News in a recent interview. “But we love Jelly Roll,” she admitted, “and I’d love for him to be on this show whenever it’s appropriate.”
Although Perry didn’t name anyone else who she feels would be a better fit, she does think her replacement will need to possess certain qualities. This includes being “honest and bold, not scared of negative comments, ’cause it happens.” She continued, “When you have an opinion, when you’re bold, when you’re a female, it just happens.”
What do fans feel about Katy Perry leaving ‘American Idol’?
Katy Perry’s time on American Idol was not all positive, and the “California Gurls” singer experienced harsh criticism. The backlash has even resulted in her fellow judge, Luke Bryan, defending her.
“Katy Perry’s been dealing with stuff like that her whole career,” Bryan said at the Country Music Association (CMA) Fest (via Fox News) in an interview in 2023. “We all get it.… I mean, we’re judging kids that people at home fall in love with … We’re not gonna bat 1,000 as judges.”
He continued, “Katy gets picked on for going out and trying to have fun making a TV show. You can’t be so safe in the moment that you’re so homogenized, you can’t ever go for a joke. Or go for a fun moment. Sometimes, you just gotta say stuff.” With this in mind, it probably doesn’t come as a surprise that Perry’s announcement she would be leaving the show received mixed reactions from fans.
Perry posted a bunch of photos on Instagram from her recent performance on the American Idol stage and bid farewell to the show in the caption. “There it is … 7 years #idol,” she wrote. Although there are many positive comments praising her for the work she did, there has also been negativity, and some people are glad to see her go. “Yayyyy, please don’t go back,” a comment reads. Another Instagram user had similar thoughts, writing, “Finally, it’s over.”
Others feel she needs a change. “Good. Now let’s get your new era going,” a comment reads. So, could Katy Perry finally have time to work on her new album?