Final 'American Idol' Judges Panel Announced
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It's official! Nicki Minaj and Keith Urban will join Mariah Carey and veteran judge Randy Jackson to make the calls for the 12th season of the FOX singing competition American Idol.
Minaj and Urban take over the spots left by judges Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez, and host Ryan Seacrest made the news official when he posted an Instagram including the new quartet Sunday morning, tweeting, "It's official, your new #IdolJudges are @MariahCarey, @NickiMinaj, @KeithUrban & @Yo_RandyJackson!"
Idol executive producer Simon Fuller says of the announcement, "With the exciting addition of Mariah Carey, Keith Urban and Nicki Minaj, alongside Randy Jackson, American Idol's star power has never been so great. For this we have to thank the ongoing commitment and belief of FOX and the dedication and focus of the Idol production team. We have all been together since the very beginning and we are focused on making Idol Season 12 the best ever."
Auditions for the show's 12th season, which debuts in January 2013, will kick off today in New York. Other audition cities include Los Angeles, Chicago, Charlotte, San Antonio, Baton Rouge and Oklahoma City.