Nicki Minaj and Keith Urban will join Mariah Carey and Randy Jackson as judges for the upcoming 12 season of American Idol on FOX.
The announcement comes as auditions begin in New York City where the celebrity panel of judges will join American Idol host Ryan Seacrest before moving on to Los Angeles, Chicago, Charlotte, San Antonio, Baton Rouge and Oklahoma City.
“With an unparalleled star like Mariah, fan-favorite Randy, chart-toppers like Nicki and Keith and our incomparable host Ryan, we’ve put together one of the most exciting judging panels around,” Mike Darnell, FOX President of Alternative Entertainment, announced in a statement.
“It’s really an honor to have been invited to be a part of the American Idol family,” Keith Urban added. ” I’m looking forward to working with everyone and to seeing the same passion that I have for music in all of the participants.”
Minaj, Urban and Carey replace Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez after they announced their departure from the show in July. Thanks to the addition of an extra judge, American Idol will be returning to a four judge panel. The show last tried a four judge during the 2009 and 2010 season but decided to trim the panel back to only three judges the last two seasons.
The 12th season of American Idol premieres on FOX in January.
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