American Idolseason 23’s newest judge Carrie Underwood has been facing criticism, and even original winner Kelly Clarkson is weighing in on her abilities amid rivalry rumors. Kelly, thewinner ofAmerican Idolseason 1, has been one of the most successful winners in the franchise’s history. While Carrie, who went on after Kelly to winAmerican Idolseason 4, has always appeared to be cordial with her in the past,some rumors of a rivalry between the twoIdolmega-stars have been brewing over the years. Throughout Carrie’s introduction to the series, Kelly has been quiet about her opinions.
The former American Idol winners have seemed to follow similar enough trajectories that they can connect and understand each other’s experiences.
According toLife & Style,an insiderrevealed how Kelly really feels about Carrie taking a turn behind the judge’s tableduringAmerican Idolseason 23, replacing Katy Perry.“This whole thing about Kelly being jealous of Carrie or competitive with her couldn’t be further from the truth,”the insider revealed, before sharing that Kelly“loves that she’s come full circle and will be an Idol judge”after winning the competition herself in the past. Kelly’s support comes with the offer to appear on her talk show any time, according to the source, which Carrie was“blown away”by.
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Although the rumors of a feud between Kelly and Carrie have been consistent, it’s clear that the originalIdolwinner is nothing but supportive of Carrie’s new role as anAmerican Idolseason 23judge. AsCarrie has faced backlash and criticism of her new role, it’s been up to other stars to support her in her new endeavor to show the public she’s ready and equipped to be a judge. While Kelly, who coached onThe Voicefrom 2018 to 2023, hasn’t been back toIdolin the same capacity, she does understand Carrie’s current issues.
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Although Carrie and Kelly haven’t necessarily had a close relationship, the formerAmerican Idolwinners have seemed to follow similar enough trajectories that they can connect and understand each other’s experiences. While some were concerned thatCarrie’s performance as anIdoljudgemay not be up to par with former judge Katy, it’s clear that Kelly isn’t concerned about what Carrie can bring to the show. As a former winner, Carrie will be able to take on the pressures of being a judge with ease.Kelly’s support may not be necessary, but it surely means a lotto Carrie.
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Ratings For American Idol Season 23 Will Be Very Important
Various people connected withAmerican Idolhave come out in recent weeks to throw their support behind Carrie as a judge, most likely to quell all the rumors and speculation, especially after the “Before He Cheats” singer caused controversy in January. A source close to Ryan Seacrest recently said that theIdolhost has taken Carrie under his wing. He reportedly feels very protective of her since she got her start on the hit singing competition show. This isn’t surprising since Ryan’s role onAmerican Idolis very much that of a supporter and cheerleader for all the contestants.
Carrie and fellow judges Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan have started hitting the talk show circuit to promoteAmerican Idolseason 23.They’ve been a united front by appearing on multiple talk shows together, which gives fans a chance to see their chemistry togetherahead of the premiere on March 9. Kelly has directly spoken out before about Carrie joiningIdol, and with her latest comments via an anonymous source, it’s clear that everyone involved, both directly (like Ryan and the judges) and indirectly (like Kelly as a past winner) wants to ensure smooth sailing.
American Idolis heading into uncharted territory, as this will be the first time in the ABC era there’s been a shakeup at the judges' table. Ratings are down not just forAmerican Idolbut for most TV shows across the board, so the 2025 installment might be a make or break year. Carrie could bring more viewers in, considering she’s a superstar who got her start onIdol, or the ratings slide could continue, spurred on more by the singer’s controversy. Until the season gets underway, it’s hard to tell which way it might go.
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AsCarrie takes on the newest seasonofAmerican Idolas a judge, it’s clear that she’s going to be feeling a lot of nostalgia for her time competing on the show. Kelly, who openly felt similarly during her time onThe Voice,revealed that the full-circle nature of Carrie’s journey was exciting to see. While it’s clear thatCarrie appreciates the support from her peers, hearing that Kelly is happy about her newAmerican Idolgig is likely something that means more to her, given their shared experiences competing on the show and rocketing to stardom afterward.
American Idolseason 23 premieres Sunday, March 9 at 8 p.m. EDT on ABC, then streams the following day on Hulu.
American Idol
Cast
American Idol is a revival of the groundbreaking television series that redefined the music competition genre. Premiering on July 05, 2025, it features a new generation of contestants vying for a life-changing recording contract, under the guidance of a panel of renowned judges.
