Shortly after Katy Perry announced that she was leaving American Idol after seven seasons, rumors started swirling about who her replacement will be.
Katy Perry announced her exit from American Idol in February saying that Season 22 would be her last. She shared the news in an interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and explained that she was ready to “create space for my new wingspan.“ She also wants to travel and record new music.
Throughout the most recent season of Idol, each of the judges has spoken out about who they think could fill Perry’s shoes.
Katy herself suggested that country superstar Jelly Roll, who mentored this season’s contestants, would be a good replacement.
“I gotta say, Jelly Roll was crazy when he came on the show,” she told E! News. “I was convinced of anything he said. He could run for president. He could be my pastor. I might go back to church for him. He could sell me anything.”
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Luke Bryan and Ryan Seacrest thought that Meghan Trainor would be a great fit.
“I think Meghan’s always been real fun. You know, that’s kinda been her brand, to have fun,” Bryan said. “(She’s) real witty, so certainly.”
American Idol host Ryan Seacrest added, “Meghan is a super talent too, and she’s got a great sense of humor. She’s fun and she’s spontaneous.”
One name that we hadn’t heard thrown around until finale week was Jon Bon Jovi.
The legendary rocker had the honor of mentoring the Top 3 contestants and quickly drew attention as someone who would be more than qualified for the open judge seat.
A few days prior to the live finale, rumors began to swirl that Bon Jovi was a “top contender” for the position after an unnamed source reportedly divulged the info to Life & Style. Another source added that “Jon isn’t even in talks to host,” and the news outlet reports that it’s all about the paycheck for the “Livin’ On A Prayer” singer.
“The crux of the matter is money. To secure a true rock icon of his caliber, one must invest accordingly!”
Jon Bon Jovi hasn’t addressed the speculation and it isn’t likely that we’ll find out Katy Perry’s replacement until mid-summer, just before the show kicks off auditions for Season 23.
Watch Jon Bon Jovi perform with the American Idol Season 22 finalists in the video below.