Katy Perry took to Instagram on Monday to announce that she would be returning for the third season of ABC’s American Idol alongside judges Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan, who joined Perry at the judge’s table in Seasons 1 and 2 of the reboot of the popular singing competition.
It’s been a busy few weeks for the “Never Really Over” singer, who was ordered by a jury last week to pay $550,000 as part of a civil suit brought against Perry that claimed her 2013 hit “Dark Horse” stole its underlying beat from a popular Christian rap song, per TMZ.
Perry’s co-collaborators on “Dark Horse” were also ordered to pay up. Six producers on the track, which include Dr. Luke, were ordered to pay amounts between $29,000 to $253,000, per TMZ , in a settlement with Christian rapper, Flame, that totals some $2.7 million. Perry’s record label, Capitol Records, will eat the remaining $1.2 million, per TMZ.
While the verdict is not one that the singer likely wanted, it shouldn’t have too big of an impact on the 34-year-old, who is worth about $330 million, per Wealthy Gorilla .
In 2017, when Perry joined the American Idol reboot, which had been canceled just one year prior by Fox after a 15-season run, it was announced that she would make some $25 million a season. According to Page Six , Perry’s large salary caused drama between Richie and Bryan, who expected to earn similar salaries to Perry but were offered much less.
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But if Perry’s Instagram post is to believed, the judges have put the salary negotiations behind them. A video attached to the Instagram post showed a clip from the last season of American Idol, in which the three singers-turned-judges are seen holding hands and dancing.
American Idol has produced megastar artists, including Season 1 winner, Kelly Clarkson; Season 4 winner, Carrie Underwood; Season 3 finalist, Jennifer Hudson; and fifth season runner-up, Katharine McPhee, to name a few.
In May, Perry released “Never Really Over,” to largely positive reviews. One review from USA Today said the song was her “best new song in years.” The song was the first solo Perry release since her 2017 album Witness, which was largely panned by critics, USA Today noted.
According to Perry’s Instagram post, auditions for the third season of ABC’s American Idol reboot began in July in New York City and will end in Chicago on September 21. Perry did not announce when the third season of the show will air.
