Here’s How Much Katy Perry Will Earn as Judge in Season 22 of ‘American Idol'

Season 22 of American Idol will include Katy Perry as a judge alongside Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie. Despite controversy and criticism in Season 21, Perry is committed to helping the candidates succeed. As reported by Marca, ABC has spent a considerable sum on reuniting the show's judges for the revival of American Idol. Most notably Perry, who, starting this season, will earn more than any of the other judges on the program has ever earned before. Celebrity Net Worth reports that Perry's compensation for the upcoming season of American Idol would be $25 million, making her the highest-paid judge. 

Perry, 38, has been a part of the show since Season 16, and it took a lot of convincing on the part of the producers to get her to return as a judge. There were reportedly heated talks with Richie and Bryan over their original offer of around $2.5 million before a compromise was made. Reports indicate that Bryan will get about $12 million, with Richie making $10 million—both figures far lower than Perry's estimated earnings. In 2017, when they first appeared on the show, both judges got $7 million. This is about one-fifth of the $36 million that Simon Cowell earned as the highest-paid judge in history.

Perry was criticized for being disrespectful to candidates and accused of "mom-shaming" a new mother during the previous season of the singing competition. In light of the criticism, it was reported that Perry felt deceived by the show's producers and worried that she was being depicted inaccurately as the "nasty judge."

In April, as reported by Page Six, Perry came under fire for her comments on Nutsa Buzaladze's glitzy attire, in which she said, "Nutsa, every time you take the stage, it’s like you glitter bomb the stage. Listen, one thing that I would like to see from you is not one piece of glitter the next time. I know that is going to be hard."

After the airing of the Firework singer's audition in March, Liebe criticized her "hurtful" comment in a TikTok video, saying, "I think that it’s hard enough to be a mom, and it’s hard enough to be a woman." The Teenage Dream singer was criticized for remarks she made to a few contestants on Season 21 of The Voice, but a source earlier told Page Six that she wasn't "fazed by the backlash." The insider emphasized that Perry was "just doing her job," adding that she "has a unique sense of humor that may not always translate well on camera," but that "she never has any ill intent." The insider added that the Grammy nominee serves as "a mentor and a friend to the contestants." 

Fans have rallied to Perry's defense though, saying that her comments were milder than those of former Idol judge Simon Cowell. At the CMA Fest last month, Bryan, another judge, said, "Katy gets picked on for going out and trying to have fun making a TV show."

References:

https://www.marca.com/en/lifestyle/tv-shows/2023/07/28/64c41d5e22601df95e8b4581.html

https://pagesix.com/2023/07/25/katy-perry-returning-to-american-idol-for-season-22-after-fan-backlash/