Katy Perry Reveals When She's Leaving 'American Idol'

Katy Perry has revealed her plans to say goodbye to American Idol. During her appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the pop star revealed that season 22 will be her last on the judges panel.

"This fall, in September, I'm going to be doing this huge music festival in Brazil called Rock in Rio... so I think this will probably be my last season for Idol," Perry told host Jimmy Kimmel. She went on to add, "I mean, I love Idol so much. It's connected me with the heart of America, but I need to feel that pulse of my own beat."

Perry has been a judge on the long-running singing competition show since March 2018 along with fellow judges country singer Luke Bryan and the legendary Lionel Richie. "What did Luke and Lionel say?" Kimmel asked about her exit.

It turns out, Perry had yet to reveal the news to her fellow judges. "Well, they'll find out tonight!" A lot has changed since Perry joined the revival of American Idol. In August 2020, she gave birth to her first child, daughter Daisy Bloom, with her fiancé Orlando Bloom. She also wrapped up her Las Vegas residency PLAY last fall. During the final show, Daisy made her first public appearance after years of Perry and Bloom keeping her out of the spotlight.

Stepping away from Idol also means Perry will have time to release the new music she's been teasing for almost a year now. “Now if you can’t love me at my Witness or Smile era, then you can’t love me at my KP6 era!" Perry told her PLAY audience, referring to her next studio album.