It's official: Mariah Carey will be joining American Idol next season as a new judge, E! Online is reporting. The deal, as was previously reported, is worth $17 million - $2 million more than the reported $15 million than Britney Spears was offered for her position as a judge on The X-Factor. Get it, girl.
In a statement to reporters via telephone, Carey commented, "I am so excited to be joining Idol. I wish I could have been there myself to tell you. It all kind of just happened real quickly. I can't wait to get started in a couple months…I will see you in January!" Additionally, Fox president Kevin Reilly stated that Carey is the "biggest recording artist" that "any of these shows" have ever had. Sorry, J.Lo.
Still no word on who else will be joining the series next season - as both Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler left, there's still one open judge's chair - or on whether or not longtime judge Randy Jackson will opt to stay as well.
[via E! Online]
