American Idol Season 12 Judges Officially Announced! Nicki Minaj and Keith Urban Join Mariah Carey and Randy Jackson

American Idol Season 12 is now all set for its return January 2013. The judges for the new season were officially announced Sunday morning with the start of the auditions in New York.

Mariah Carey, who was the first judge to be confirmed will be joined by singer-rapper Nicki Minaj and Aussie country singer Keith Urban. Completing the judges panel for American Idol 2013 is Randy Jackson, the only remaining judge who's been with the show since the first season. 

After Idol season 10 and 11 judges Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez quit American Idol, Fox considered shifting Randy Jackson to a mentor role in an attempt to bring an all-new judges line up to freshen the format.  However, when the talks with Enrique Iglesias broke down, the network decided to bring back Randy to the judges' seat.

Here is an excerpt of Fox's press release confirming the new judges for American Idol Season 12:

Judges Mariah Carey and Randy Jackson Joined by Nicki Minaj and Keith Urban

When AMERICAN IDOL’s 12th season debuts in January 2013, superstar judge Mariah Carey – the best-selling female recording artist of all time – and returning judge Randy Jackson, a Grammy Award-winning producer whose expertise and beloved persona have been instrumental in discovering IDOL talent from the beginning, will be joined by two new judges: quadruple-platinum singer, songwriter, rapper and fashion icon Nicki Minaj; and Keith Urban, a four-time Grammy Award winner who has sold more than 15 million albums.

Are you excited with the return of American Idol this 2013 with the new judges Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj and Keith Urban and returning judge Randy Jackson?

For more Kapamilya updates follow/like BIDA KAPAMILYA on Twitter and Facebook.

Mariah Carey is New American Idol Judge for Season 12

It's official! Mariah Carey will be a judge for the upcoming 12th season of American Idol, Fox confirmed. The network announced on Monday, July 23 that Mariah Carey has officially signed on as an American Idol judge.

Mariah Carey will be replacing Jennifer Lopez, who, along with Steven Tyler quit the show to focus more on their singing careers (read story here). Mariah, before being a judge served as a mentor in Idol's Season 7, seeing the win of David Cook who impressed Mariah with his own version of the latter's hit Always Be My Baby.

Mariah Carey welcomed the new assignment and shared her excitement of joining the panel of judges for American Idol's next season.

“I am so excited to be joining Idol. I wanted to be there today and I wish I could have been there myself to tell you. I can’t wait to get started in a couple months,” said Mariah Carey in a phone call to Fox boss Kevin Reilly at the Fox TCA summer press tour in Beverly Hills, California shortly after the big announcement.

According to Reilly, Randy Jackson, who's a co-manager of Mariah Carey was an instrument in bringing the diva to the show. Additionally, he also said that these changes in American Idol is necessary to keep things fresh as competition is stiffer this time.

It is expected that the identity of the remaining American Idol judges for it's 12th season will be revealed by the coming weeks. Names like Adam Lambert, Charlie Sheen and Fergie of Blackeyed Peas were popping as new additions to the panel.

Are you excited to see Mariah Carey as American Idol 2013 judge? DO you think the producers made the right choice and will save Idol from year-by-year viewership drop?

For more Kapamilya updates follow/like BIDA KAPAMILYA on Twitter and Facebook.