Lionel Richie Advocates for Taylor Swift or Kelly Clarkson to Join 'American Idol' Panel

Lionel Richie Wants Taylor Swift or Kelly Clarkson to Replace Katy Perry on American Idol

Lionel Richie, Taylor Swift, Kelly Clarkson Monica Schipper;Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy;Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic/Getty Images(3)

Lionel Richie is considering Taylor Swift or Kelly Clarkson to replace Katy Perry on American Idol.

Richie, Perry, and Luke Bryan have been judges on the show since it was revived on ABC in 2018. Perry recently revealed she will be leaving American Idol after this season to concentrate on her music career.

The former lead singer of Commodores is looking to find someone to take over her seat, and she has her sights set on either Taylor Swift or Kelly Clarkson.

In an interview with Entertainment Tonight on Tuesday, April 23, she sent a message to Taylor, saying, "If you're free, we would love to have you join us. Give me a call."

Swift, who is 34 years old, is back on top of the charts with her latest album, The Tortured Poets Department. Released on Friday, April 19, the album broke multiple records by reaching over 300 million streams on its first day. It also made history on Spotify by being the first album to exceed both 200 and 300 million streams in just one day.

Lionel Richie Wants Taylor Swift or Kelly Clarkson to Replace Katy Perry on American Idol

Richie understands that Swift may not be available for American Idol, so he would be happy to collaborate with Clarkson instead. He mentioned to ET that he recently bumped into Clarkson and felt she would be an ideal substitute for Perry.

"I didn't want to mention this," said the singer of "All Night Long." "I even forgot to mention some important points. You know what I mean, Kelly, we've been together for a long time."

He continued, "Kelly, if you're free, I'd like to bring this up. I'm a big fan!"

Clarkson used to be a coach on The Voice from 2018 to 2021, and then returned in 2023.

Back in 2012, both stars were set to be mentors on the Duets reality series. Unfortunately, Richie had to leave because of a scheduling conflict, so John Legend took his place.

Clarkson films The Kelly Clarkson Show in New York City, so it may be difficult for her to join American Idol, which films in L.A.

Richie mentioned that he understands the challenge of finding a new judge for American Idol.

He jokingly commented that the replacement for Katy Perry should have a good sense of humor and be able to handle some friendly teasing without taking it personally.

Perry recently shared her decision to team up with Richie and Bryan, 47. She expressed her admiration for Jelly Roll when he appeared on the show, stating that she was easily persuaded by him. Perry mentioned that she would trust him to run for president, be her pastor, or even convince her to go back to church. She found him to be very convincing in whatever he said.

Perry expressed her love for him and mentioned that having any of these guys along with Jelly on the show would be fantastic. She also sent her love to Jelly!

It has been four years since Perry last released an album, but this week she hinted at new music coming soon.

Katy Perry shared with Access Hollywood that her new album was greatly inspired by her relationship with Orlando Bloom.

During an interview backstage at American Idol on Monday, April 15, the singer expressed, “I have never made an album from a place of being truly happy and filled with love.” Katy and Orlando got engaged in February 2019 and have a three-year-old daughter named Daisy.

Perry pointed out that some artists may think creating music from a tough place is more exciting, but in reality, it can be bright, joyful, and celebratory. It is all about pure joy, fun, and playfulness.

Editor's P/S:

Lionel Richie's pursuit of Taylor Swift or Kelly Clarkson to replace Katy Perry on American Idol underscores his desire to maintain the show's star power. Swift's chart-topping success and Clarkson's established presence in the music industry make them strong contenders. However, scheduling conflicts could pose a challenge, with Clarkson's commitments to her talk show and The Voice potentially making it difficult for her to join American Idol.

Richie's admiration for both Swift and Clarkson reflects his understanding of their talent and experience. His humorous approach to finding a replacement for Perry highlights the importance of a judge who can bring entertainment and camaraderie to the panel. The potential addition of Jelly Roll to the judges' table would further enhance the show's appeal, as Perry's enthusiasm for his performance suggests that he possesses the charisma and authenticity that American Idol audiences appreciate.