Keith Urban was drawn to the role as a judge on American Idol not only because he enjoyed the show, but mainly because he could bring something different to the panel…and the other judges – Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj and the returning Randy Jackson – do as well. “The diversity is the thing I was most interested in because there’s four people that come from very, very different places that have very, very different views,” says Keith. “When we stumble upon somebody who all four of us unanimously agree upon, it’s an extraordinary moment, because more often than not, we’re a 180 from each other on some of the artists that we hear.”
The two-hour premiere of American Idol airs on Wednesday (January 16th) at 8pm ET on FOX.
AUDIO: Keith Urban says the American Idol judges panel is so diverse, but that’s what makes it so cool.
Keith Urban (diversity in judges) OC: …for that day. :44
“I think first and foremost is the diversity of [the panel]. I mean, the diversity is the thing I was most interested in because there’s four people that come from very, very different places that have very, very different views, and when we stumble upon somebody who all four of us unanimously agree upon, it’s an extraordinary moment, because more often than not, we’re a 180 from each other on some of the artists that we hear. So, it’s made for an interesting audition process as well, because we had to incorporate this thing someone in every city where somebody was chosen as a tie-breaker, because a lot of times it was two-and-two – two of us wanted it and two of ‘em didn’t, and we would just single one of us in each city to be the tie-breaker just for that day.”
