Two years after its self-proclaimed farewell season, American Idol is back on TV reinvigorated with an all-new judging panel led by pop superstar Katy Perry.
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The singing competition series first hit US screens in the summer of 2002 and became a breakout hit and one of the first trailblazing shows in the early days of reality television. It became a rating juggernaut pop culture phenomenon, creating water-cool moments weekly and ultimately paving the way for eventual mega-stars such as season 1 winner Kelly Clarkson and season 3 standout Jennifer Hudson, who went on to win the Academy Award just a couple of years after competing on the show.
And not just the up-and-coming singer who auditioned to participate on the show. American Idol spawned formidable judge Simon Cowell, who has since become a TV tycoon leading format such as America's Got Talent and The X Factor.
By the spring of 2016, American TV network Fox network felt the show had run its course amid a decline in ratings and buzz and pulled the plug at the end of season 15. However, in the ever-changing TV landscape, the owners of the format decided there was no point in waiting on the bench and hoping for a future revival in the long run and began immediate negotiations to bring it back. ABC, which is owned by the Disney Corporation, acquired the broadcasting rights and now the show is back in full steam.
The new American Idol 2018 has not changed all that much, with host Ryan Seacrest still in his place, accompanying the singing hopefuls from all the country throughout the stages of competition. The biggest change has been made with the judges table, which now consists of R&B legend Lionel Richie, country singer Luke Bryan and multi-platinum selling artist Katy Perry.
Speaking at the Television Critics Association winter tour, Perry insisted the main goal is to find the next great singing talent. "Literally, we are wasting our time if we do not find a star, you know, America doesn't need another star. They need, like, a real legit American Idol", said the singer, "It's a crowded place, and I take it really seriously, sometimes to my detriment. But I'm very cut-and-dry and get straight to the point, but I think that is our purpose."
Getting Perry to join the show has already made headlines with a reported unprecedented salary of $25M per season, not to mention filming around her hectic schedule as she is currently still on the road with her "Witness: The Tour" global concert tour in support of her latest album "Witness" which came out last spring. The show airdates essentially coincide with Perry jetting away to remote concerts in South America, Asia and Europe.
According to Perry, being part of the show and meeting aspiring singers helps ground her. "The biggest gift for me personally is being re-inspired by their raw dreams, their raw ambition, their hope", she said, "I was there 10 years ago. I had two cars repossessed. I had three labels drop me. I was couch surfing. I was eating Trader Joe's frozen chicken nuggets every day of the week. I know exactly where you are. And we have this ability to give them this incredible journey. That's what American Idol is."
Q: Any chance of bringing your tour to Israel?
"I would be very happy to perform in Israel. I understand that there are sensitivities that I am not familiar with. But I do want to come over - How do we make that happen?"
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