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Fans have been curious about who will replace Katy Perry on American Idol ever since the pop star abruptly announced her exit. Keep reading to find out which singer will take her spot in 2025.
American Idol is a popular singing competition that follows unknown artists from across the country as they compete for a recording contract and $250,000. The winner is determined by American viewers who can vote for their favorite artists. Created by Simon Fuller, the series originally ran for 15 seasons on FOX before it was canceled in 2016 and revived a few years later by ABC. Some of the biggest names in the music industry have come out of the show, including Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Hudson, Chris Daughtry, Fantasia Barrino and more.
Perry served as a judge alongside Luke Bryan and Lionel Ritchie for the first seven seasons of the reboot. The “California Girls” singer shocked fans and her fellow judges when she announced her departure during a February 2024 appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!. “So I think this will probably be my last season for Idol,” she revealed. She went on to explain that she loves the show “so much” and it has made her feel “connected with the heart of America,” but noted: “I feel like I need to feel that pulse to my own beat.” The Season 22 finale, which aired on May 19, marked Perry’s final appearance on American Idol. “My parting words are thank you America. I know sometimes I put my foot in my mouth, sometimes I’m a little polarizing. Sometimes I just shoot from the hip. But I love you and I learned and I grew and, what I really do is shoot from the heart,” she told reporters ahead of the episode.
Since then, plenty of names have been floated around as possible replacements for Perry, but there can only be one. Read on to learn who’s replacing Katy Perry on American Idol.
Who will replace Katy Perry on American Idol?
Meghan Trainor
Perry’s replacement has not officially been announced, but there’s one singer who several cast members want to see on the panel: Meghan Trainor. As it turns out, Trainor is advocating just as hard for the job.
The “All About That Bass” singer, who appeared as a coach on Season 21, was first suggested as a potential replacement for Perry by Luke Bryan in an April 2024 interview with Entertainment Tonight. “I think Meghan’s always been real fun,” the country crooner said. “You know, that’s kinda been her brand, to have fun. [She’s] real witty, so certainly.” Host Ryan Seacrest agreed, adding: “She was very good. Meghan is a super talent too, and she’s got a great sense of humor. She’s fun and she’s spontaneous.”
Richie, for his part, nominated Season 1 winner Kelly Clarkson to replace Perry. “I’ve got my list, but Kelly [Clarkson], if you don’t have anything else to do, I’d like to drop that out there — I’m a big fan,” he said. The “All Night Long” singer added that whoever replaces Perry has to fit in with the current panel. “It’s gotta be fun, but no ego. Because we’re gonna insult each other so much,” he explained. “And when you’re with Luke, he doesn’t know he’s killin’ ya.”
Clarkson, however, has shut down the idea of her returning to the show, explaining to Entertainment Tonight at the 51st Daytime Emmy Awards that her focus is on raising her two kids. “No. No. I can’t do that, only because I promised my kids,” she told the outlet, adding of her family’s recent move to New York City: “I was like, ‘I wanna be there as much as I possibly can.’ And it would put me in L.A.”
Trainor, on the hand, has been very vocal about her desire to replace Perry. During a June 12 appearance on Watch What Happens Live, Trainor called the gig her “dream job.” She told host Andy Cohen: “I’ve done every interview in the world and said that that is my dream job and I have emailed three awesome people who work in that world.” She noted that those individuals “don’t really have the full say but I begged.”
“I have begged for this job,” she continued. “I haven’t heard any updates so check my emails but that is my dream job. I want to drive to work American Idol and then drive home.” Trainor is no stranger to talent competitions, either. She previously served as a judge on The Four: Battle for Stardom in 2018, The Voice UK in 2020 and Australian Idol in 2023. “Love being a part of that process, I just get way too attached,” she said. “It’s like my favorite show, I’ve watched it since I was a child.”
There is also a rumor that former judge Jennifer Lopez could return to take Perry’s place. “A return from the past is on the cards,” an inside source told DailyMail.com. “J.Lo will be asked to come back. When people come back, things work… people like nostalgia, and people like Jen. It would be a big get to get her back.”
The “On The Floor” singer was previously a judge for seasons 10 and 11, as well as seasons 13-15. Randy Jackson, Keith Urban, Harry Connick Jr. and Steven Tyler all judged alongside her at one point, and she remained on the show up until it was cancelled by FOX.
As for who Perry wants to see her in place, she jokingly suggested “someone that can put up with Luke and Lionel” during an April 2024 interview with TV Insider. Perry also teased a potential return to the show, noting that her replacement should, “Keep my seat warm.”
