Leaving 'Idol?' FILE PHOTO: With help from judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie, viewers embark on a nationwide search across Los Angeles, Nashville, and the judges' very own hometowns to find the next singing sensation. Perry announced that this will be her last season on the show. (Eric McCandless/Disney)
By Natalie Dreier, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
After seven seasons of trying to find the next “American Idol,” singer Katy Perry has announced she is leaving the show.
Perry surprised her fans during her appearance Monday on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” USA Today reported.
Kimmel had asked how long she was going to stay on the show and she responded, “I think this probably will be my last show, last season for ‘Idol.’ I mean, I love ‘Idol’ so much. I know. 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. You know what I’m saying, Jimmy?”
She judges contestants alongside Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan, but at the time hadn’t told them her intentions, only telling Kimmel that they knew she had “some things planned for this year.”
Perry is scheduled to perform at the Rock in Rio event in Brazil which runs in two segments: Sept. 13-15 and Sept. 19-22. Tickets go on sale on April 11. She will be on the World Stage on Sept. 20.
She also told Kimmel “It’s going to be a very, very exciting year, Jimmy, for all pop star girlies. Let’s just say I’m creating space for my new wingspans.” And part of her decision to leave the show was to “go and see the world and maybe bring new music.”
Despite telling Kimmel she is leaving, USA Today reported that ABC has not confirmed that Perry is leaving her judge’s chair, however, ABC’s morning show, “Good Morning America” reported on her impending departure.
Perry joined “American Idol” when it started airing on ABC in 2018, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “Idol” originally ran on Fox starting in 2002 with Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson as the original judges. It launched the careers of Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson, Fantasia, Carrie Underwood, Clay Aiken, Ruben Studdard and Adam Lambert among others, according to Variety.
Season 22 begins airing on Feb. 18 at 8 p.m.
Through the years WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA - JANUARY 21: Singer Katheryn Perry attends the Los Angeles debut of designer Alexander McQueen's Spring / Summer 2004 Collection at Chateau Marmont on January 21, 2004 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Amanda Edwards/Getty Images) (Amanda Edwards/Getty Images)
Through the years NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 04: Singer Katy Perry attends the Betsey Johnson 2008 fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Fall 2008 at The Tent at Bryant Park on February 4, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images for IMG) (Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images for IMG)
Through the years EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - MAY 17: Katy Perry poses in the press room during Z100's Zootopia at the IZOD Center on May 17, 2008 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Rob Loud/Getty Images) (Rob Loud/Getty Images)
Through the years CULVER CITY, CA - MAY 30: Singer Katy Perry performs onstage during the taping of Spike TV's 2nd Annual "Guys Choice" Awards held at Sony Studios on May 30, 2008 in Culver City, California. The show airs on June 22, 2008 at 10PM ET/PT on Spike TV. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images) (Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)
Through the years LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 17: Musician Katy Perry attends the Katy Perry record release party for "One of the Boys" at Capitol Records on June 17, 2008 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for EMI Music) (Jesse Grant)
Through the years LIVERPOOL, UNITED KINGDOM - NOVEMBER 06: Katy Perry poses in the Winners Room at the 2008 MTV Europe Music Awards held at at the Echo Arena on November 6, 2008 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images) (Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
Through the years LIVERPOOL - NOVEMBER 06: Katy Perry onstage at the MTV Europe Music Awards, held at the Echo Arena on November 6, 2008 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Getty Images) (Getty Images/Getty Images)
Through the years LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 25: Actor/comedian Russell Brand (L) and singer Katy Perry arrive at the premiere of Universal Pictures' "Get Him To The Greek" held at the Greek Theatre on May 25, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images) (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Through the years UNIVERSAL CITY, CA - JUNE 06: Singer Katy Perry poses in the press room at the 2010 MTV Movie Awards at Gibson Amphitheatre on June 6, 2010 in Universal City, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images) (Jason Merritt/Getty Images)
Through the years MIRAMAR, CA - DECEMBER 03: Singer Katy Perry performs onstage during "VH1 Divas Salute the Troops" presented by the USO at the MCAS Miramar on December 3, 2010 in Miramar, California. (Photo by Michael Caulfield/Getty Images for VH1) (Michael Caulfield)
Through the years NEW YORK, NY - JULY 24: Katy Perry attends the premiere of "The Smurfs" at the Ziegfeld Theater on July 24, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images) (Jemal Countess/Getty Images)
Through the years HOLLYWOOD, CA - JUNE 26: Singer Katy Perry arrives at the premiere of "Katy Perry: Part Of Me" held at Grauman's Chinese Theatre on June 26, 2012 in Hollywood, California. The premiere also included a special live performance by Katy for the first-ever Pepsi/Billboard Summer Beats series. "Katy Perry: Part Of Me" will be released by Paramount's Insurge Pictures on July 5, 2012. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images) (Jason Merritt/Getty Images)
Through the years LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 10: Singers Katy Perry (L) and John Mayer attend the 55th Annual GRAMMY Awards at STAPLES Center on February 10, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for NARAS) (Christopher Polk/Getty Images for NARAS)
Through the years NEW YORK, NY - MAY 06: Katy Perry attends the Costume Institute Gala for the "PUNK: Chaos to Couture" exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 6, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images) (Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)
Through the years LAKE BUENA VISTA, FL - JULY 04: In this handout photo provided by Disney Parks, singer Katy Perry poses with Minnie Mouse and Mickey Mouse at Disney's Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort on July 4, 2014 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Katy Perry, who sang the hit song "Firework," visited Walt Disney World Resort on U.S. Independence Day during a break in her global "Prismatic" concert tour. (Photo by Chloe Rice/Disney Parks via Getty Images) (Handout/Getty Images)
Through the years INGLEWOOD, CA - AUGUST 24: Rapper Riff Raff (L) and singer Katy Perry attend the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards at The Forum on August 24, 2014 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images for MTV) (Jason Merritt/Getty Images for MTV)
Through the years GLENDALE, AZ - FEBRUARY 01: Recording artist Katy Perry performs onstage during the Pepsi Super Bowl XLIX Halftime Show at University of Phoenix Stadium on February 1, 2015 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images) (Christopher Polk/Getty Images)
Through the years GLENDALE, AZ - FEBRUARY 01: Recording artist Katy Perry performs onstage during the Pepsi Super Bowl XLIX Halftime Show at University of Phoenix Stadium on February 1, 2015 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Karl Walter/Getty Images) (Karl Walter/Getty Images)
Through the years NEW YORK, NY - MAY 04: Katy Perry attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images) (Larry Busacca/Getty Images)
Through the years HOLLYWOOD, CA - SEPTEMBER 08: Singer Katy Perry is honored during her hand print ceremony at TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX Forecourt on September 8, 2015 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images) (Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)
Through the years BEVERLY HILLS, CA - FEBRUARY 26: Singer-songwriter Katy Perry attends the 2017 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Graydon Carter at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on February 26, 2017 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images) (Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)
Through the years NEW YORK, NY - MAY 01: Co-Chairperson Katy Perry attends the "Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garcons: Art Of The In-Between" Costume Institute Gala at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 1, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images) (Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)
Through the years INGLEWOOD, CA - AUGUST 27: Katy Perry is lowered onto the stage during the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards at The Forum on August 27, 2017 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images) (Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)
Through the years NEW YORK, NY - MAY 07: Katy Perry attends the Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 7, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images) (Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)
Through the years MONTE-CARLO, MONACO - SEPTEMBER 26: Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom attend the Gala for the Global Ocean hosted by H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco at Opera of Monte-Carlo on September 26, 2018 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. (Photo by Andreas Rentz/Getty Images) (Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)
Through the years NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 06: Katy Perry attends The 2019 Met Gala Celebrating Camp: Notes on Fashion at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue) (Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/)
Through the years HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 21: Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom attend the LA premiere of Amazon's "Carnival Row" at TCL Chinese Theatre on August 21, 2019 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Phillip Faraone/Getty Images) (Phillip Faraone/Getty Images)
Through the years HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 12: (L-R) Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan attend the premiere event for "American Idol" hosted by ABC at Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel on February 12, 2020 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images) (Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images)
Through the years UNSPECIFIED - MAY 09: In this screengrab, Katy Perry performs during SHEIN Together Virtual Festival to benefit the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for WHO powered by the United Nations Foundation on May 09, 2020. (Photo by Getty Images/Getty Images for SHEIN) (Getty Images/Getty Images for SHEIN)
Through the years BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 30: (L-R) Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom attend Variety's Power of Women Presented by Lifetime at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on September 30, 2021 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Variety) (Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Variety)
Through the years NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 02: Katy Perry attends The 2022 Met Gala Celebrating "In America: An Anthology of Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 02, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images) (Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)
Through the years LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 06: Katy Perry and Edward Enninful arrive at Westminster Abbey ahead of the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on May 06, 2023 in London, England. The Coronation of Charles III and his wife, Camilla, as King and Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the other Commonwealth realms takes place at Westminster Abbey today. Charles acceded to the throne on 8 September 2022, upon the death of his mother, Elizabeth II. (Photo by Jeff Spicer/Getty Images) (Jeff Spicer/Getty Images)
Through the years WINDSOR, ENGLAND - MAY 07: Katy Perry performs on stage during the Coronation Concert on May 07, 2023 in Windsor, England. The Windsor Castle Concert is part of the celebrations of the Coronation of Charles III and his wife, Camilla, as King and Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the other Commonwealth realms that took place at Westminster Abbey yesterday. High-profile performers will entertain members of the royal family and 20,000 guests including 10,000 members of the public. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images) (Leon Neal/Leon Neal/Getty Images)