She’s back…again.
A year after relinquishing her seat on American Idol, Pop diva Jennifer Lopez will officially be returning to the FOX hit – it has been confirmed.
Full story after the jump…
The announcement, which came courtesy of the show’s producers today, ends months of speculation about the 43-year-old’s status with the talent-search. Wildly popular during her initial stint ont he show, the mother of one replaces axed departed judges Nicki Minaj and longtime rival Mariah Carey.
J.Lo joins a the sole survivor from last year’s cast cull Keith Urban and Harry Connick Jr – the latter of whom takes over judging duties from Randy Jackson, who too left at the end of last season.
Speaking about the newly unveiled trio and Idol’s upcoming season (which begins airing in January), Fox’s Chairman of Entertainment Kevin Reilly said in a statement:
“American Idol has always been about discovering the next singing superstar, and next season our judging panel will deliver a most impressive combination of talent, wisdom and personality to do just that. Jennifer Lopez, the triple-threat global superstar who loves Idol and whom Idol fans love; Harry Connick, Jr., a bona-fide musical genius and fantastic Idol mentor whose honesty and expertise can help turn these hopefuls into stars; Keith Urban, a multi-Grammy-winning artist who was such a positive force on the show last season.”
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Clearly, there ain’t no shame in La Lopez’s game. And why should there be? Some may scoff at her rehashing yet another aspect of her career (hello Pitbull duets), however, let’s keep it 100. At 43-years-old in an unfairly ageist industry, she needs all the corporate scaffolding she can erect to ensure her undeniable talent doesn’t go unnoticed by a generation altogether different from the folk buying records when she first hit the scene — 15 years ago. Idol is that platform, so why not use it her advantage?
Now, of course, as her album sales highlight, an Idol seat can’t perform all miracles. Good material is still a must. Here’s hoping her new LP, which will almost certainly now be launched off the back of the show, delivers.