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Things are coming to a head on this week’s episode of American Idol. The finale is next week, so naturally, the contestants are pulling out all the stops at this point. To top it all off, Caleb Johnson, Alex Preston and Jenna Irene also had the added pressure of performing on the show’s 500^th episode. No biggie.

Despite his vocal issues, Caleb Johnson delivered a couple of showstopping performances.

To amp up the nostalgic spirit, the show kicked off with a montage of the greatest moments in Idol history. There was Kelly Clarkson, Clay Aken , the transformation of Clay Aiken, KEITH!, William Hung  Bikini Girl (?) and even a video of Simon Cowell that time he was spot on about Carrie Undewood’s record sales. Ah, the good old days.

Continue reading: American Idol Recap: Anniversary And Homecoming

Randy Jackson thinks American Idol is regaining its form. Sure, the head mentor of the original TV singing competition has a vested interest in promoting the show regardless of its quality, but he really thinks it’s good again, honest. Jackson admitted in a conference call that by last season, Idol was getting a little bit stale. But it got a revamp and now everything is ok. Right…

Jackson thinks the show got the much needed kick in the rear this season.

“But now it’s Idol 2.0,” he said. “It needed a refresh, and it got it.”

Continue reading: Randy Jackson Thinks "American Idol" Is Out Of The Woods, Ratings Beg To Differ

Forget sweatshops in India and slave labour camps in North Korea, Mariah Carey has seen for herself what working in supposedly hellish conditions is like. The R&B singer was interviewed by HOT 97 radio on Wednesday and, as she sipped her Champagne, she relived the atrocities of her single season on Fox's talent searching show.

Mariah Carey Compares 'American Idol' To Hell & Nicki Minaj To Satan.

"Honestly, I hated it," Carey said of her turn at judging the long-running singing contest. Speaking to Angie Martinez, she explained: "I thought it was going to be a three-person panel. They gave me a nice dangling monetary moment, and I was just like, 'Okay. Randy Jackson will be there; I've known him forever. He used to play bass for me. Like, this isn't a big deal. This will be nothing.'"

Continue reading: Take It From Mariah: If American Idol Is Hell, Is Nicki Minaj Satan?

Well, it looks like the American Idol mayhem is all over. We can all breathe a little easier, knowing that the American Idol set won’t feature two empty chairs next season, driving poor Keith Urban to such a state of lonely desperation, that he ends up pushing a hidden button under his Coke cup, which causes the entire set to explode in a massive fireworks display announcing the death of America’s original televised talent show, while Mariah Carey’s 'Hero' blasts out of the sound system.

Say hello to Harry Connick Jr.!

It would have been spectacular to behold, but so is the new jury lineup, which consists of Urban, of course, in the company of Idol veteran Jennifer Lopez (three cheers for J.Lo and her top bun!) and, the new face nobody was expecting – former Idol mentor Harry Connick Jr. Idol’s resident nice guy – Randy Jackson – returns in the role of mentor.

Continue reading: Revamped American Idol Judging Panel Brings Back Harry Connick Jr. And J.Lo

Turns out Jennifer Lopez’s time on American Idol really has been the show’s most entertaining run to date. It’s no wonder that the show is bringing back the opinionated singer (hopefully with her majestic top knot in tow). According to a report by Deadline, Lopez has just signed a $15 million deal with Fox to return to the next season of Idol, along with longtime judge Keith Urban and of course everyone’s favorite Idol host Randy Jackson.

Jennifer Lopez made for one of Idol's most entertaining seasons to date.

Lopez and Idol have a long and storied history together. The singer came on Fox’s talent competition in 2010, at a low point in her own career. She managed to save the show’s ratings after the departure of the judge everyone loved to hate, Simon Cowell. Now, Fox seems to be hoping for the same kind of turnaround, after the network wasted some extremely high paychecks on Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj last season. All the diva spats in the world couldn’t save American Idol from a ratings nose dive and almost losing the competition to NBC’s brand new shiny contender, The Voice.

Continue reading: American Idol's Next Season Will Be A Blast From The Past, With Jennifer Lopez Back On The Judging Panel

Nicki Minaj and Mariah Carey are bothleaving American Idol after just one series on the Fox talent show.The announcement comes in the same month that original judge Randy Jackson left the panel, while the future of Keith Urban now looks increasingly uncertain.Rapper Minaj told her 16 million Twitter followers: "Thank you American Idol for a life changing experience! Wouldn't trade it for the world! Time to focus on the Music!!! Mmmuuuaahhh!" while Mariah's departure was also announced on Twitter.

Reports suggest Mariah Carey earned $18 million for her year on the show, while Minaj took home $12 million, though neither gelled. According to the Hollywood Reporter, show bosses were keen to replace Mariah with previous fan-favourite Jennifer Lopez midway through the twelfth season, but Carey's considerable legal team put the stoppers on the deal. 

In a joint statement with American Idol's production company, FremantleMedia, Fox said, "Nicki Minaj is a superstar who brought a level of honesty and passion to American Idol and who had a tremendous positive impact on so many contestants this season," adding that Mariah Carey was a "true global icon." Despite the nice goodbyes, it's no secret that Idol bosses will be glad to see the back of both stars, having suffered in the ratings over the past year. The show's ratings fell to its lowest point in 12 years this series, which was won by soul singer Candice Glover. 

Continue reading: The Great American Cull: Mariah Carey And Nicki Minaj Leave 'Idol'

There’ve been rumblings about an American Idol cull of judges and crew and it looks like the first has been told to go, with the show’s only original judge Randy Jackson confirming that he is to leave the reality singing contest after 12 seasons. Let the axe swinging commence.

The Wrap had hinted that this week that Nicki Minaj, Mariah Carey, Keith Urban and Jackson would all be leaving the show, along with producer Nigel Lythgoe as Fox bosses sought to make sweeping changes for a show that has lost 22% of its audience in season 12 and is now being eclipsed by NBC rival The Voice. A full cull hasn’t been officially confirmed as yet by Fox, but with Jackson now officially on his way out it looks well on the cards. According to the BBC, Jackson issued a statement that read "To put all of the speculation to rest, after 12 years of judging on American Idol, I have decided to leave after this season. "I am very proud of how we forever changed television and the music industry."

The show’s host, Ryan Seacrest had hinted at his departure at the beginning of Thursday's elimination episode in the US: "A little later on, we'll be revealing who's leaving our show," he joked as he swivelled Randy Jackson around in his chair towards him. "Maybe a head's up?"

Continue reading: Is This The Beginning Of The Cull? Randy Jackson Leaving American Idol

Thursday’s American Idol yielded a bit of a surprise to viewers (spoiler ahead) as the latest contestant to go home was, rather shockingly, Angie Miller. Miller rose to the level of a favorite in the competition early on, when she performed an original song on the piano in the show’s Hollywood rounds. She quickly became an audience favorite and the judges loved her as well. However, while she kept receiving praise for most of her performaces, Angela (who quickly became “Angie” to both judges and fans, never quite matched the success of that first big performance). Now, the two finalists, who will press on have been decided – Kree Harrison and Candice Glover. Their fate will be decided during the two-part finale on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Meanwhile, as tensions run high onstage, behind the scenes everything is just as hectic, as the departure of the audience’s favorite judge, Randy Jackson, has been made official. The official story is that 56-year-old Jackson is leaving the show to focus on his record label and other business opportunities, but with rumors swirling about the network planning a complete overhaul on Idol, lots of sources are speculating that his departure might not have been entirely Jackson’s idea. In any case, with falling ratings and Fox’s apparent anxiety over the show, we can probably expect a brave new Idol as of next season.

The producer/bassist, who has been on Idol since Day 1, has confirmed his departure. 

If there’s any word to describe what’s going on behind the scenes of American Idol right now, annihilation comes to mind. The ever popular talent competition hasn’t been as popular lately, which has led to the latest news – that Idol will be firing, pardon, replacing, all four of its judges and an executive producer next season.

The big shots over at Fox apparently hoped that the explosive combination of Nicki Minaj and Mariah Carey would get the show back on its feet, but instead, it seems to have paralysed it completely, with ratings at an all time low. The Wrap reported the show’s plans to start from scratch next season – without even bringing back fan favorite Jennifer Lopez, as some previous reports speculated. "All four are gone," the insider told The Wrap. "They feel they've lost their core audience and they want it back."

The core audience in question? Young people. The 16-24 demographic, who haven’t exactly been on the edge of their seats for this season of Idol. In a desperate bid to bring them back, Fox execs will also bring major changes to the format of the show. No more themed tribute nights with music from your aunt’s vintage record collection. The show’s look will also undergo a complete overhaul. 

Continue reading: Heads Will Roll Over At American Idol - Four Judges And A Producer All Getting The Boot

Angela Miller stole the show on Thursday night's American Idol (February 14, 2013), leaving the judges gobsmacked with a performance of her own song, 'You Set Me Free.' The 18-year-old food services worker from Beverly, Massachusetts, introduced the track by saying, "This song is about being set free from baggage and the weight that you carry from hard times."

Sitting at a piano, Miller delivered the teary ballad effortlessly while wearing a sheer black ensemble. The judges were immediately taken with the track, while the often hard-to-please Randy Jackson was effusive in his praise. "Wow, wow, wow...really? Who knew? Wow," he repeated. Rapper Nicki Minaj told Angela, "'That is a top 40 song right there already," while Keith Urban agreed, saying, "If that was recorded now I would play that in my car...that is just a beautiful song, oh my god."

It's been six years since a woman - Jordin Sparks - won American Idol, though Miller has firmly established herself as the big favorite to all the way on season twelve. Unfortunately for some contestants, the quality of Angela's performance highlighted the distinctly average qualities of other efforts. The judges were forced to reject over half the contestants

Continue reading: American Idol: Angelina Miller Leaves Randy Jackson Speechless

American Idol contestant "Pepper LaBeija from the House of LaBeija." rocked up in an impeccable face of make-up and a big blonde wig ready, a very short skirt and honking false boobs. She raring to audition, only for judges to double over in laughter upon the realisation that LaBeija was actually ex-American Idol judge, and Aerosmith front man Steven Tyler, reports MSN. 

"I just wanted to come by and say hello. I love you. Good luck with this year," he told the judges for the reasoning behind is surprise appearance. Sadly, LaBeija nor Tyler actually got to audition and he flounced out of the audition room saying "No Hollywood for me." Clearly, he was very disappointed. However, while neither Tyler nor LaBeija got through, 45 other hopefuls certainly did.

This year's judges are long time judge, Randy Jackson, plus  Keith Urban, and at centre spotlight in the months leading up to the new series, rapper Nicki Minaj and singer Mariah Carey. Carey and Minaj had a bit of a dispute last fall which culminated in an alleged death threat. It's all water under the bridge now though, and by the time the live shows come around they'll undoubtedly be the best of friends. 

Continue reading: Dude Looks Like A Lady: Steven Tyler Does Audition In Drag On American Idol

Nicki Minaj can be seen shouting at Mariah Carey at the American Idol auditions in a video posted to celebrity website TMZ on Tuesday, reports Reuters.

The video serves to validate the rumours that Minaj and Carey have been feuding during their time on the talent show, as reports suggest that both ladies would prefer to be centre of attention. "I told them, I'm not (expletive) putting up with her (expletive) highness over there," Minaj said on the video, turning towards Carey, who does offer a repost, but her part of the video is inaudible.

Keith Urban, who is seated between the two women, can be seen raising his arms to suggest his departure from the conflict, and fourth judge Randy Jackson can be heard saying "Hold up" in an apparent effort to defuse the clash. Cynical as it may be, the Idol people may be hoping this kind of thing manifests itself on stage, as nothing screams ratings louder than a diva fight, live on television.

Continue reading: Nicki Minaj Shouts At Mariah Carey In Leaked Video

Nicki Minaj’s American Idol journey may have only just begun, though it looks like the NY Queens rapper may be getting the taste for reality television. During an interview with Perez Hilton, the multi-talented MC hinted that she may let cameras into her life for a new series.

Asked if she was working on a separate project to Idol, Minaj coyly answered, “That I'm going to keep a secret for now,” though revealed she was “considering” the idea of a Kardashian-esque reality show. To be fair, the rapper seemed pretty convinced by the idea of a reality show, telling Hilton, “I will say that I find the more people see, is the more they understand, and then it's the more they like you…When you pull them in your world, they see you as a real person. I'm not running away from it anymore.” In the past couple of months, the 27-year-old has released a new perfume, an album, and has a fashion line set for later this year, though it seems she’s still ready to take on new projects. Minaj will also make her judging debut on American Idol in January, though she’s currently taping the audition rounds with Mariah Carey, Keith Urban and Randy Jackson.

Reports suggest E! Online (the home of the Kardashians) will have first option on the reality series, while rumors suggest she’s already started filming!

Well that didn’t take long now did it? As expected, Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj wasted no time going in going head-to-head during the first day of shooting on American Idol on Sunday (September 16, 2012).

Possibly proving correct the theory that there’s room for only one ‘diva’ on the ‘Idol’ panel, the pair began feuding almost immediately – according to TMZ.com – with Mariah interrupting the ‘Pink Friday’ rapper on numerous occasions. However, each time the 42-year-old attempted to take the spotlight, Queens-born Minaj fought back by talking even louder. One insider privy to the first day of filming said “Mariah and Nicki tried to cover their disdain for each other but everyone saw through it,” adding, “These girls just don’t like each other.” You may recall TMZ.com reporting on the new judging line-up a couple of months back, with a source claiming Carey had literally slammed down the phone when producers told her Minaj had been hired. The two are part of a new look judging panel for the Fox reality singing show, with country crooner Keith Urban and Randy Jackson also providing their expertise.

Though questions about Carey and Minaj’s suitability on the same panel will inevitably remain, it’s likely that Fox bosses are already rubbing their hands together with glee at the prospect of a diva-feud. Ratings, ratings, ratings.

Former pop star Paula Abdul is confident the next season of American Idol will be an even greater success - because she's had the hit show's set feng shui'd.

The STRAIGHT UP singer, who is a judge on the show alongside Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson, reportedly felt that the vibes on the set weren't quite right, so she called in an expert in the Chinese practice to help position things to create a more positive flow of energy.

Continue reading: Abdul Spreads Good Vibes On American Idol Set