Mariah Carey Addresses American Idol Feud Rumors
Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj
Although the latest American Idol panel was just confirmed yesterday, new judge Mariah Carey addressed rumors of a feud between her and fellow newbie Nicki Minaj at a press conference in New York on Monday. Hours after an online report claimed that the two had begun to talk over one another during audition rounds, the R&B singer told reporters that they'd only been here two days and "a feud takes a little bit longer. It's music, it's singing, it's laughter."
All the judges — including country superstar Keith Urban (who revealed his own first brush with televised singing competitions came at age nine on the Australian talent show Pot of Gold) and mainstay Randy Jackson — seemed to echo that sentiment. They were in good spirits, laughing at each other's jokes and all smiles after a long day of auditioning contestants.
Jackson lauded Idol's solitary ability to "create superstars" in a market that as of late has become oversaturated with similar singing contests like The Voice and The X Factor, and he also praised the quality of the new panel as something that will continue to distinguish the ten-year-old show from its younger competition. "We've got a hip hop superstar, we've got vocal legend — not just a singer but a legend — and we have a country music legend, so it's already a different kind of show."
As Jackson was speaking, Carey realized she also wanted to talk a little bit about what she'll bring to the table as a judge. "Don't be mad at me for interjecting," she told Jackson, her current manager. "It's just the way I am."
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