- Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan will return.
- American Idol season 22 will premiere in 2024.
- Idol Across America begins August 2.
The search for the next music superstar will continue with American Idol season 22. ABC announced exciting news about the upcoming season of the singing competition on July 25 after the series was renewed back in May 2023. Season 22 is about to get underway, and your Idol faves will be back.
Are all the judges coming back for season 22? What about Ryan Seacrest now that he has Wheel of Fortune? HollywoodLife is answering all the questions you have about American Idol season 22.
Who Are The Judges For American Idol Season 22?
Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan will return for American Idol season 22. This marks their 7th season as Idol judges. They signed on as judges when ABC revived the series after FOX canceled it in 2016.
American Idol Season 22 Premiere Date
American Idol season 22 will premiere in spring 2024. A specific release date has not been revealed yet. Since ABC picked up the series, American Idol has premiered in February or March every year.
Is Ryan Seacrest Returning To American Idol?
Yes, American Idol veteran Ryan Seacrest will return as the host of the singing competition. He’s been the host of American Idol since its premiere in 2002.
Ryan will be pulling double duty when it comes to hosting. He’ll be replacing Pat Sajak as the host of Wheel of Fortune beginning in 2024. When Ryan was announced as the new Wheel of Fortune host in June 2023, he released a statement on his Instagram. A fan commented, “Name something this man can’t do. Are you going to continue to host American Idol too?” Ryan later replied, “Yes! And thank you.”
Who Won American Idol Season 21?
Iam Tongi was voted the winner of American Idol season 21. Iam captured the hearts of viewers all over the world with his emotional audition dedicated to his late father. His American Idol audition has over 21 million views on YouTube. He became an instant frontrunner in the competition, ultimately being crowned the new champion. Megan Danielle came in second place.
Since his American Idol win, Iam nabbed his first No. 1 song with “I’ll Be Seeing You,” which hit the top of the Billboard Rock Digital Songs Sales. He has spent the summer performing across the country as part of his first tour. More shows are expected to be announced.
Following the season 21 finale, Iam spoke EXCLUSIVELY with HollywoodLife about his future plans. “One day I’ll have an album in the works. I’m going to start recutting my originals, just work on them, and hopefully one day there will be an album,” he said at the time.
When Do American Idol Season 22 Auditions Start?
Auditions for season 22 will begin on August 2 with the return of Idol Across America, the live virtual nationwide search for the next superstar. Those auditioning will be given the opportunity to showcase their talents face-to-face with an American Idol producer, from anywhere in America, across any official audition date for a chance to proceed to the judge audition round of the competition.
Things will kick off with the First 700 event, where hopefuls can sign up to grab a VIP spot before anyone else. Contenders will also be given the opportunity to audition under their genre for the first time in Idol Across America history. Auditions will be open worldwide to all those eligible.
Following the First 700 event, Idol Across America auditions will begin in Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. There will be an open call on September 8. Additional fall dates will be announced at a later time.
Click to Subscribe to Get Our Free HollywoodLife Daily Newsletter to get the hottest celeb news.
This story originally appeared on Hollywoodlife