It’s a confusing time to be an American Idol fan. Viewers have embraced the judging trio of Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie since ABC renewed the show in 2018. Perry threw fans into a frenzy when she announced Season 22 would be her last. And recently, Luke Bryan dropped a bombshell when the country star admitted he wasn’t certain that he or Richie would return for season 23, either.
[RELATED: Are Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan Returning to ‘American Idol’ Next Season? Katy Perry’s Exit Shakes up Judge Panel]
Who Could Replace Luke Bryan?
Here are three stars who could potentially replace Luke Bryan in 2025.
Jelly Roll
American Idol viewers have already received a taste of what Jelly Roll’s judging could look like. The “Need a Favor” singer stopped by during season 22 to mentor half of the top 24 finalists. He’s definitely got the personality, and it would make sense to replace Luke Bryan with another country star. Jelly also has Katy Perry’s vote, for what that’s worth.
Meghan Trainor
Luke Bryan has already dropped the “All About That Bass” singer’s name in interviews about Perry’s replacement. Trainor is certainly lacking in neither experience nor enthusiasm. The GRAMMY winner never misses an opportunity to campaign for a spot on the Idol judging panel.
What’s more, Trainor has received an endorsement from Bryan himself. “The whole thing about that role is you gotta have personality and you gotta have fun with it every day,” Luke Bryan told E! News. “And I think Meghan [Trainor] has fun with her career, she’s kind of like me. She doesn’t take herself too serious, she has fun with her music. So, yeah, that’d be great.”
We know he was talking about Meghan Trainor replacing Katy Perry, but…
Dolly Parton
Sticking with the country theme here. You can’t possibly get more country than Dolly Parton. Sadly, this one is probably a pipe dream. The “Jolene” singer has previously vowed never to appear on American Idol or The Voice in a judging capacity.
“I get asked every season to be on,” Dolly said in a January 2023 interview with Taste of Country. And every season, she says no.
“I really have trouble judging people,” Dolly admitted. “I would have a lot of trouble telling them yes or no — especially no.”
Maybe Luke Bryan Will Stay?
Of course, this is all speculation. It’s entirely possible that both Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie will return to their judging chairs next season. “I think Disney is just trying to figure out what they want to do and we’re just kind of sitting back and waiting until they decide,” Bryan told Billboard.
Featured image by Monica Schipper/Getty Images
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