Pop singer and American Idol judge Mariah Carey will leave the TV singing contest and go on a world tour next year, following on the heels of longtime judge Randy Jackson after the show suffered from a ratings slump. Nicki Minaj won’t return to the TV show either.
“@MariahCarey confirms world tour & says goodbye 2 Idol,” public relations firm PMK BNC, which represents Carey, said on Twitter.
The tweet said Carey was planning the tour to promote her recent single, Beautiful, which features singer Miguel. Tour dates have yet to be announced.
Minutes later, fellow judge Nicki Minaj Tweeted: “Thank you American Idol for a life changing experience! Wouldn’t trade it for the world! Time to focus on the Music!!! Mmmuuuaahhh!!!”
Carey, 43, joined the judging panel with rapper Nicki Minaj, country singer Keith Urban and Jackson, a music producer, for the show’s 12th season, and reportedly earned US$18 million.
Carey and Minaj grabbed headlines throughout the season for their on-camera arguments and off-camera feuding, with Carey saying in January that she had hired extra security following threats reportedly made against her by Minaj.
“Mariah Carey is a true global icon – one of the most accomplished artists on the planet – and we feel extremely fortunate that she was able to bring her wisdom and experience to the American Idol contestants this season,” Fox said in a statement.
Despite the added star power of Carey, Minaj and Urban, the show’s ratings slumped to the lowest in 12 seasons, with the May 16 season finale of Idol drawing 14.2 million to see vocal powerhouse Candice Glover win the competition.
Jackson announced this month he would not return to the show next season and it was unclear whether Minaj or Urban would either.
Pop singer and actress Jennifer Lopez and Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler left Idol in 2012 after two seasons and used their increased visibility from the show to relaunch their music careers.
Fox, which is owned by News Corp, will also lose reality programming chief Mike Darnell, who said last week he would leave at the end of June. Darnell shepherded American Idol into a ratings juggernaut since its debut in 2002.
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– Reuters
