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Nicki Minaj, Keith Urban Close to Becoming ‘American Idol’ Judges

Posted byBy ABS Contributor | Published on: | Updated on July 5, 2018 CommentsComments (0)

The hunt for new American Idol judges continues and, as previously reported, Nicki Minaj and Keith Urban are close to sealing the deal. Minaj is set to become the second female judge on “American Idol”—despite her being the face of Pepsi and Coke being a sponsor of American Idol.

Minaj will be offered $8 million for the role, $10 million less than Mariah Carey, the other female judge, but she may get allowances for hair, makeup and wardrobe. According to a source, the deal could be finalized by early next week.

Urban is also close to finalizing his deal. Urban is taking $3-4 million according to the source, half of Minaj’s salary. This would mark the second singing competition Urban has judged. He is currently a judge for the Australian version of “The Voice.” He was originally facing competition from fellow country musician Brad Paisley but Paisley dropped out because his pay wouldn’t match Minaj’s pay.

Last week, Urban confirmed on an Australian radio station that he was talking to Idol about possibly being a judge. “They did reach out to us. But they have been reaching out to a lot of people, so I think they are just figuring out which way they are going to go too,” he said during the interview. “All I can say right now is that I’m trying to make an album and it’s strange how these opportunities all come in one big fell swoop. But my priority right now is to just make a record and that really has to lead the charge for me.”

Urban and Minaj aren’t the only stars talking to Idol producers. Alanis Morissette has confirmed that she is talking to Idol producers as well. “Yes, I have been in conversations about it, and that’s the degree to which I can share the info right now,” Morissette said to CNN. “I live to mentor, so my heart is much more open to the idea of that than even 10 years ago when I, perhaps, wasn’t in a position to be able to offer much advice, solicited or otherwise. [B]ut I love watching people and just getting really curious about what they want and what they need and what their goals are, and then I can support them. I would do it formally, for sure.”

This wouldn’t be Morissette’s first time on Idol. She performed a duet with former contestant Crystal Bowersox during the 2010 finale. She has also appeared “The X Factor” and “The Voice.”

 

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