Mariah Carey in US$18m 'Idol' triumph!

Mariah Carey will join American Idol as a judge next season as the show fights to regain its slumping audiences. Kevin Reilly, president of entertainment for Fox Broadcasting, told TV critics in LA on Monday that Mimi will be one of the replacements for Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez.

Steven announced his exit earlier this month to focus on his career as the frontman for Aerosmith. J.Lo had also hinted at her departure in recent weeks and Reilly confirmed she would not return for the upcoming season. "I can say it is 100% that Jennifer won't be back to the show."

He said the deal with Mimi was finalised early on Monday and, in a dramatic move at the conference, he called her on his cellphone to announce the deal. "Hi Mariah. How are you? I have just uttered your name for the first time. We do have a deal, don't we?" he said.

Mimi, answering on speakerphone, said: "I am so excited to be joining Idol... I wish I could have been there myself to tell you, but this all kind of just happened. I can't wait to get started."

Reilly declined to comment on the status of Randy Jackson, the only original member of the judging panel, but said he expected to announce a second new judge within the next two weeks, adding that some of "the biggest names in the business are interested in doing the job". Adam Lambert has been mentioned in the media as a possible contender for one of the new jobs.

Mimi had been named in reports as a frontrunner and she’s expected to bring attention and viewers to the 11-year-old contest, which lost some 20% of its audience this past season. She's currently working on a new album and plans to release a lead single, Triumphant, next month.

Idol creator Simon Fuller said Mimi "defines the word Idol and will inspire every singer that has the honour of performing in front of her". Reilly did not discuss the financial details of the agreement, but Mimi previously has been reported to be in negotiations for a payday of around US$18 million a year.

Mimi, who was courted last year by Simon Cowell for The X Factor, joins a roster of superstar celebrity judges on reality TV. Britney Spears was signed earlier this year for the upcoming second season of X Factor.

Executive producer Nigel Lythgoe told journalists earlier on Monday that he thoughtIdol should swap judges every season, partly to accommodate the careers of top artistes. Reilly declined to speculate about that possibility, but he told journalistsIdol is "12 years old now… We need to keep it fresh."

Source: Reuters

Published: 24th Jul 2012