Report: Nicki Minaj and Keith Urban Nearing American Idol Deals
Nicki Minaj. Keith Urban
Is the American Idol name game maybe, possibly, almost done? (Please say yes, please say yes).
After weeks of furious speculation about who would sit next to Mariah Carey, which has included everyone from Nick Jonas to Kanye West to Alanis Morissette, Nicki Minaj and Keith Urban are nearing deals to join Idol, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Alanis Morissette: "I have been in conversations" for American Idol
Minaj, 29, will reportedly take home $8 million, plus additional money to cover hair, makeup and costumes — a big part of Minaj's public persona. Urban, 44, will take home around $3 to $4 million. Both are significantly lower than Carey's $18 million salary.
Although Minaj is fairly new to the singing competition, Urban is currently a coach on The Voice in his native country Australia. "I'm trying to make an album, and it's strange how these opportunities all come in one big fell swoop," he said earlier this week. (Is it too early to suggest Urban's wife Nicole Kidman come by one week to coach the contestants on theatricality the way Jennifer Lopez's former hubby Marc Anthony helped out when she was a judge? Or maybe all the kids could go to Kidman's new movie premiere and serve as free publicity? Win-win!)
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And though Minaj and Urban are close to deals, that doesn't necessarily mean the other names are out of the running. THR reports that producers are still talking to possible fourth judges, but Randy Jackson could also stay on as a fourth judge. If he doesn't, Jackson would still have a significant role on American Idol, since he is Carey's co-manager and reportedly played a big role in bringing her on board.
Do you think Minaj and Urban would make good additions? Would you miss Jackson and his "dawgs" if he left the judges table?