Katy Perry Is Leaving American Idol After 7 Seasons

Katy Perry is singing her swan song. 

After seven seasons, the "Firework" singer is walking away from American Idol: The show's upcoming 22nd season will be her last as a judge. 

"I think this will probably be my last show, my last season for Idol," she said during a Feb. 12 appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live. "I mean I love Idol so much. It's connected me with like the heart of America, but I feel like I need to go out and feel that pulse, that pulse to my own beat."

But when asked what her co-judges Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan thought of the news Katy quipped, "Well they'll find out tonight! They know I have some things planned for this year. It's going to be a very, very exciting year."

And while she hinted that she's "been in the studio for awhile," the only part of that exciting year the 39-year-old confirmed are some of her plans for the fall. 

"In September I'm going to be doing this huge music festival in Brazil which is called Rock in Rio," Katy revealed. "It's a big deal, it's a big deal for people all over the world, especially my Brazilian fans."

Though it will be the Grammy nominee's last, the latest season of American Idol promises to be an extra special one that sees the judges return to each of their hometowns to look for future stars: Katy's childhood home of Santa Barbara, Calif., Lionel's Tuskegee, Ala., and Luke's home of Leesburg, Ga. 

And from the sound of it, the visits will be meaningful and also entertaining to watch. 

"It was amazing," Katy—who joined the show in 2018—said of visiting Lionel's home. "I went to the South, I went to his porch, I drank lemonade on there. And then I went to Luke's peanut farm and he almost buried me in peanuts."

Season 22 of American Idol premieres on Feb. 18 at 8 p.m. ET and 5 p.m. PT on ABC. 

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