‘American Idol’ Adds Another Judge
‘American Idol’ is spicing things up next season by adding in a new judge to the panel. Kara DioGuardi will be the new judge on the panel and she said that she ‘is confident’ that she will be able to fit in perfectly with the unusual drama that ensues every episode between Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, and Paula Abdul.
“I’m just gonna speak to Simon the way I speak to everybody,” DioGuardi told reporters during a teleconference Monday. “I’m just gonna have my opinion, be honest and I don’t foresee any problems. I’m really excited about this, and up for the challenge.” The Grammy-nominated songwriter will make her debut when the eighth season of “Idol” premieres in January, the Fox network said Monday.
“It’s really flattering too, you know, to think that (`Idol’) even thought about me,” she said. “I mean, when I got the call, I thought they were calling the wrong person. So I’m the new kid on the block, and I’m hoping everyone’s gonna go easy on me — and that I bring a lot to the table.”
It’s not yet clear how ties will be broken in the audition process — in past seasons, two out of three judges had to agree to advance aspiring pop stars to the Hollywood round. And something will have to give during the telecast that barely has enough time to fit in three judges’ opinions.
DioGuardi, now the youngest “Idol” judge at 37, said she leads a “low-key” life. In that case, she’d do well to prepare for the instant celebrity that comes with appearing on the most popular — and lucrative — reality show on television.
So who is Kara DioGaurdi? “I’m maybe not a household name, but people know of me in the industry,” said DioGuardi, who co-owns the Los-Angeles based company Arthouse Entertainment, which is now producing music by recent “Idol” runner-up David Archuleta.
DioGuardio’s songs have been recorded by Kelly Clarkson, Christina Aguilera, Gwen Stefani, Celine Dion, Faith Hill, Carrie Underwood and Pink, among others. Her recent Top 40 hits include Stefani’s “Rich Girl,” Aguilera’s “Ain’t No Other Man,” Clarkson’s “Walk Away” and Dion’s “Taking Chances.”