With sagging ratings, the departure of veteran judge Randy Jackson and the future of the show in flux, it needs to be asked: can American Idol be saved?
According to Swedish American record producer RedOne, and season 10 alum Haley Reinhart , it can definitely be done. Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter at the BMI Awards at the Beverly Wilshire in Los Angeles, RedOne said the answer could be found in a familiar face from last season.
“If J-Lo does it, of course. She’s a superstar icon. Whatever she does is done well,” said the producer, who just launched his own label that boasts former Idol judge Jennifer Lopez as its first signed artist. “Whatever she touches turns to gold. If she does it, she can bring it back for sure. I love the show and its good for music and its great entertainment.”
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Reinhart said that a change in the current panel would be good for the show’s chemistry, and pointed to Lopez, a judge on her season, as an example of how well things could work. “I think that having new judges will spark a new flame. It happened our season when they brought in Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez and they were very diverse and it just clicked,” she said. “I think it's also because of all the new shows are coming around, people are exploring their options and watching different things and it’s a lot to compete with. That’s not to say that Idol is going down the tubes. I’m excited to see how it does next year.”
Twitter: @Idol_Worship; @MicheleAmabile
