American Idol season 16 wants Katy Perry; can they get her?
Nonetheless, there’s a good chance that this could happen! According to a report from TMZ, Perry is in discussions to take over the role as judge for the upcoming ABC reboot. She was a guest judge on the show many years ago, and did a great job with it to boot.
One of the obvious issues with this booking, however, is strictly cost. The original show ended in part because of the millions Fox and the producers were spending on Jennifer Lopez and the judging panel around her; Perry won’t come cheap, and would instantly become one of the most-expensive people in this role ever. She’s at the top of her career and currently is producing new music to boot. There are some benefits to her joining the show, but it’s absolutely still a surprise given that her resume is such that she doesn’t need a singing show at this time in her career.
If the deal does close, one of the ways in which American Idol and ABC will balance out the cost is by rounding out the panel with industry talent — what this would mean is bringing in someone like a songwriter, a producer, or someone else working behind the scenes. This would help to create a similar situation to the first season, where Paula Abdul was the only substantial record artist among the group. This balance does give the show a chance to stand out from the competition, and Perry may be enough of a draw in her own right.
Another financial issue that the show will need to combat is the simple fact that they will have to pay Ryan Seacrest. The show’s former host is in contention to do the job again, but it could require some serious convincing, mostly because he already is working on Live! with Kelly and Ryan. The connection between that show and ABC should also serve as a way to help.
What do you want to see from American Idol season 16, and do you think that Katy Perry could be right for the show? Share in the comments!
Meanwhile, head over here to get some other news when it comes to the show. (Photo: Fox.)