Katy Perry to leave American Idol after seventh and final season as a judge

The show is set to air this Sunday for its 22nd season. Katy Perry has been a judge alongside Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan since the show was revived by ABC in 2018.

Perry appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live yesterday evening to discuss the forthcoming season, and revealed that the time has come for her to step away from it. “I love the show so much, but I want to go see the world and maybe bring new music," she explained. “I think this will probably be my last show, my last season for Idol,” she continued. “I love Idol so much. It’s connected me with the heart of America, but I feel like I need to go out and feel that pulse to my own beat.”

Speaking of her reason to leave American Idol, Perry seemed to him at the fact that she was ready to start releasing music again: “let’s just say I’m creating space for my new wingspan.”

Last year, Litmus Music acquired the rights in five studio albums released for Capitol Records, including Katy Perry's Grammy-nominated Teenage Dream. Sources told Billboard that Litmus paid $225 million for Perry’s stake in the master recording royalties and music publishing rights to her five albums released between 2008 and 2020 — One of the Boys, Teenage Dream, PRISM, Witness and Smile.