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The years have flown by since the series premiere of American Idol. The show has come so far in the two decades that fans have been tuning in.

Judges Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, and host Ryan Seacrest are all set to search for the newest sensation. According to Parade, the new season will be pretty spectacular overall. In speaking about the new American Idol contestants, judge Katy Perry said, “A lot…have never been on an escalator.”

The brand-new season of ‘American Idol’

The search for the newest star has officially begun. Hollywood Life reports that Perry, Bryan, Richie, and Seacrest are heading to various cities to find the next winner. 

With a recording contract and a $250,000 cash prize at stake, the competition is fierce, and the only best of the best will move forward. Newsweek reports that golden tickets have been handed out to singers who are given a “yes” vote by two out of three judges. This gives that contestant a chance to go to “Hollywood Week” and compete for a spot in the live shows.

American Idol judges sitting at a table, Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie
‘American Idol’ judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry, and Lionel Richie | Eric McCandless / Contributor
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Platinum tickets are also given out this season. These guarantee a spot in “Hollywood Week” and allow the contestant to watch the other auditionees, see the competition, and choose a duet partner.

As always, the winner will be determined by the home audience at the end of the season. Viewers can vote by telephone, text, or on the show’s official website.

Perry says many new contestants ‘have never been on an escalator’

American Idol first premiered in 2002, so naturally, certain aspects of the show have changed over time. Judges Perry and Richie recently appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! to talk about the new season. They said that the online auditions for the show have “changed the equation” for the competition.

Perry also added that at the end of each season, the judges always seem to think that the talent has run out, but fortunately, the new rounds of contestants continue to prove them wrong.

The online auditions allow more people to showcase their talents, and according to Richie, they can meet singers “from a city we’ve never heard of in Arkansas,” for example. Instead of traveling to audition live, hopefuls can audition via Zoom.

Perry made sure to add, “You have a lot of kids coming from towns that have, like, one stop sign, not even a stop light. A lot of kids that have never been on an airplane or an escalator. Any of it. They’re just so blown away by how the world is.” She added that singers are “coming from all walks of life, all over the country. It’s such a beautiful show.” 

Fans are excited about the new season of ‘American Idol’

Of course, fan excitement is running rampant for the new season of American Idol.

According to Yahoo!, several have voiced their opinions. One person said, “It’s going to be an amazing season,” and another commented, “Ouuuu it’s gonna be a great year.” Yet another show fan summed up their feelings in one word, writing that they were “HYPED” to see what the upcoming season had to offer. 

The show had a 15-year run on the FOX network. Now, fans can now tune into ABC on Sunday nights for new episodes.

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