It’s apparently a no-go for Enrique Iglesias on American Idol…
The 36-year-old Spanish singer was reportedly offered $4 million to serve as a judge on the upcoming season of Fox’s hit singing competition last week.
But now comes word that the network has pulled the plug on negotiations with Iglesias, according to a source close to the show.
Iglesias, who recently wrapped his North American tour with Jennifer Lopez, had been eyed as a possible fourth judge, joining the already-announced panel that includes Mariah Carey, as well as Nicki Minaj and Keith Urban, both of whom are thisclose to wrapping up deals to join the show’s 12th season.
Randy Jackson, the sole remaining original judge, was said to be moving on to take more of a mentor role on the show. But now Fox, producers FremantleMedia and 19 Entertainment have reportedly abandoned that idea in favor of having Jackson return to the judges’ table.
No word on what derailed Iglesias’ talks, but money seems to be a big issue with talent show judges.
The current plan, according to the source, is to announce an Idol judges panel of Carey, Minaj, Urban and Jackson in time for the show’s on-site auditions, which start by the end of September.
It appears Enrique Iglesias is thisclose to becoming your next American Idol… judge… for its upcoming 12th season.
The 36-year-old Spanish singer has reportedly received a firm offer for a spot on Fox’s reality hit singing competition, which may be expanding to four judges next year after shedding its entire previous panel, according to Entertainment Weekly. Iglesias reportedly received an offer for about $4 million per year.
Iglesias, who has turned down reality show offers in the past, may find Idol hard to pass up. He was previously offered a spot hostingX Factor, and was in talks with NBC for The Voice. While his career is going “full blast” with a new single and more, Iglesias doesn’t necessarily need the Idol gig, but the show does have other career benefits. After all, look at how it helped two-season judge Jennifer Lopez return to superstardom.
Meanwhile, EW.com reported last week that rapper Nicki Minaj and Australian country superstar Keith Urban were poised to join pop diva Mariah Carey on the show, and that Iglesias (or, if he passes, Adam Lambert) could fill a fourth spot.
Original Idol judge Randy Jackson isreportedly moving into a mentor role next season. Fox and producers have only confirmed Carey at this point and have no comment on any of the other names or the number of judges.
If the current panel plan comes together it will give Idol a four-genre strategy, with judges representing pop, rap, country and Latin.
Mariah Carey could soon help make it happen for wannabe singers…
The 42-year-old part-Venezuelan American singer is reportedly in serious talks to be a judge on American Idol next season.
“She’s in play,” a source tells People magazine about the Grammy-winning singer’s chances of taking a seat at the judges’ table on Fox’s hit reality music singing competition. “They are in serious talks.”
Her star power could be a godsend for Fox and the show’s ratings slump (down 25 percent from 2011).
Since the show began switching up the panel when Paula Abdul left in 2009, the only original judge on the panel is Randy Jackson, who has collaborated with Carey throughout her career.
The Clash’s “Should I Stay or Should I Go” must be playing on repeat in Jennifer Lopez’s mind…
After two seasons serving as a beloved judge on American Idol, the 42-year-old Puerto Rican superstar is said to be parting ways with Fox’s hit reality singing competition.
While no official announcement has been made as to season 12’s judging panel, Lopez herself strongly hinted that she wouldn’t be back for a third year.
“Little by little I’m making up my mind,” Lopez told Today’s Natalie Morales during an interview Thursday to discuss her role in Ice Age: Continental Drift. “I love everybody, I love the guys [Randy Jackson, Steven Tyler and host Ryan Seacrest], but I am thinking it’s time for me to go and do other things I love to do like films.”
While no official casting announcement has been made, a source tells Us Weekly there is no way Lopez could return to Idol, given her hectic touring calendar, which conflicts with Idol‘s initial filming dates.
“There is just too much going on for her right now,” says a Lopez insider. “She regrets she can’t stay on the show. It’s been an incredible experience and she is forever grateful that she did it.”
Among those said to be in the running to replace Lopez at the judges’ desk: Fergie, Mariah Carey, and season 8’s Idol runner-up Adam Lambert.
She’s the last female finalist standing… But could Jessica Sanchez be the last contestant standing on American Idol? That’s the bold prediction made by Steven Tyler.
In the first round, which consisted of songs selected by the judges, Sanchez performed Mariah Carey’s “My All.” Jennifer Lopez chose the ballad, which she called one of her favorites, for its tenderness. And, the pint-sized singer with the big voice—dressed in an elegant navy blue mermaid dress, with her hair swept to one side—killed it, as la Lopez predicted.
“That was absolutely beautiful; perfectly the right song for you,” decalred judge Randy Jackson. “I think it’s one of the best times a Mariah song has been performed on TV.”
Meanwhile, Lopez said Sanchez sang the challenging song “so beautifully,” while Tyler predicted she’d be the last one standing at the end.
“When you sing, you make people hang on every night,” professed the Aerosmith front man.
In the second round, which consisted of songs chosen by the contestants, Sanchez took the biggest risk of the night by performing Aerosmith’s massive hit “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing.”
Dressed in a brown jumper with a chunky turquoise and diamond necklace, Sanchez flawlessly performed the Diane Warren-penned song from the film Armageddon and got a standing ovation from the man who originally recorded the song back in 1998.
“You just took a great song and made it greater,” exclaimed Tyler. “Beautiful!”
Hearing Tyler’s critique, Lopez told Sanchez, “You do not know what a big deal that is!” and commented on the finalist’s colossal finish.
“That note at the end. Oh wow! Sent everyone into the heavens,” said Lopez.
In the final round, which consisted of songs chosen by the show’smentor Jimmy Iovine, Sanchez performed “I’ll Be There” by the Jackson 5. It’s a song Iovine believed would appeal to older audiences while allowing Sanchez to maintain her youth.
Dressed in a red blazer with sequined pockets, black pants and chunky ankle boots, delivered a Michael Jackson-esque rendition of the song that received mixed reviews.
“Perfect song, perfect voice,” said Tyler. “You nailed it!”
But while Lopez complimented the “perfect tone” in Sanchez’s voice, Jackson deemed the performance good, but not great.
“There was never a ‘moment’ moment,” said Jackson.
The American Idol finale may be two weeks away… But that didn’t stop Jessica Sanchez from coasting to the finish line. Instead, the pint-sized phenom performed like a champion.
During Wednesday’s night two-hour episode, the 16-year-old half-Mexican singer seemed to be taking the motto “go big or go home” to heart by performing the iconic music of two divas: Etta James and Jennifer Holliday.
For her first performance—dedicated to songs from artists or bands from California or tracks about The Golden State—Sanchez performed a rousing rendition of Etta James’ “Steal Away.” Sitting atop a piano and dressed in a black and white top and pants with blue accessories, including a pair of sparkling earrings, Sanchez growled and rasped her way through the songs like a seasoned pro.
“You just nailed that,” declared Idol judge Steven Tyler, while Randy Jackson proclaimed, “Your vocals are ridiculous.” Meanwhile, Jennifer Lopez complimented Sanchez on her grownup growl.
“It was in full effect tonight, by the way,” said la Lopez. “That was crazy, crazy, crazy some of the things you did in there.”
Later, Sanchez returned to the Idol stage to perform The Bangles’ “Eternal Flame” with fellow finalist Hollie Cavanagh, looking angelicwhile swinging on white fabric.
“You both have sweetness and you both have power,” said Lopez after Sanchez and Cavanagh duet, which received a standing ovation from the audience. “And I think showed up both of those things in that song.”
Then Sanchez and Cavanagh joined the other finalists, Joshua Ledet and Phillip Phillips, to perform Foreigner’s “Waiting fora Girl like You.”
But it was Sanchez’s last performance, as part of the “Songs I Wish I Wrote” theme, which proved to be the night’s most impressive.
Dressed in a color-block dress with a single sleeve, Sanchez tackled a monster song, Jennifer Holliday’s “And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going,” a song that helped former American Idol finalist Jennifer Hudson win an Academy Award. From the get-go, Sanchez wowed the audience with her mesmerizing rendition of the emotional tune that she’s been singing since she was 7—and earned a much-deserved standing ovation from the judges.
“With a performance like that… there’s just nothing to say,” confessed Lopez, who called Sanchez’s performance a “real moment.” “Your vocal ability, it’s not something that you see all the time.”
Meanwhile, Jackson complimented Sanchez on taking such a big risk.
“This is one of the hardest songs in the world to sing… It’s been sung like crazy on this stage,” explained Jackson. “And, you know what, you got up there and you just slayed it!”
She may only be 16 years old… But Jessica Sanchez proved to be the queen of the night on last night’s episode of American Idol.
During the first half of the show—which was dedicated to the music of Queen—the half-Mexican singer bravely performed a near-perfect rendition of the group’s iconic hit “Bohemian Rhapsody.
Wearing lightning bolt earring, hi-top sneakers and a bedazzled mini-skirt with a bold Native American print, Sanchez showed her exceptional vocal prowess in the first and last verses and demonstrated her rocker-side in the middle sections of the classic rock masterpiece.
AI judge Randy Jackson lover Sanchez’s performance, but suggested she channel Tina Turner. Meanwhile, Jennifer Lopez wanted more “running around” and “hair throwing” during the hard-rocking section of the song.
But the constructive criticism didn’t stop Sanchez from coming back with a vengeance. For her second performance of the night, she turned out an emotional performance of Luther Vandross‘ “Dance With My Father.”
Wearing a simple-yet-stunning neon-dress, Sanchez dedicated the song to her father, who’s about to be deployed to Singapore. J. Lo thought it was the best she’d ever heard the song sung, while Jackson couldn’t find a thing to criticize about the performance.
“You’re so natural,” Randy Jackson said. “You know what was wrong with it? Absolutely nothing!”
The 16-year-old part-Mexican singer—who was saved by her Idol judges after receiving the lowest number of votes last week, despite her season-long status as the show’s frontrunner—was more than ready to turn the beat around with her incredible talent.
During her first at-bat, Sanchez—dressed in a billowy white jumpsuit cinched with a red belt, statement necklace, turquoise heels and tousled hair—performed a rousing rendition of Alicia Key’s “Fallin’” that received a long round of applause from the audience.
Following her performance, Randy Jackson called Sanchez’s talent “otherworldly,” while Steven Tyler talked about Sanchez’s impassioned “anger” in the song.
“To take your voice and throw it in there like you lost at love, and damn it you’re gonna do something about it. And that’s what that sounded like. That was the passion you released,” declared Tyler. “And everybody in America knows you can sing, as if they didn’t know it before.”
Meanwhile, Jennifer Lopez complimented Sanchez on her ability to juggle while performing.
“The way with play with songs, the way you play with it, it’s just like you’re juggling balls in the air. It’s crazy, it’s insane,” professed Lopez. “And, I’m so glad that you’re still here with us. I’m glad we had a save and I’m glad we used it on you. You did a great!”
In the second round, Sanchez stepped up her game during her sassy rendition of Otis Redding‘s “Try a Little Tenderness.” Dressed in baggy purple pants and a black jacket, Sanchez showed a lot of energy throughout the performance, giving an urgent feeling performance with a lot of heart.
“I like the fact that you’re stepping out, I really appreciate that the most ‘cause God knows I know you can sing,” said Tyler. “It’s all about stepping out and winning these people’s hearts.”
In what could be considered a shock heard ‘round the nation, American Idol finalist Jessica Sanchez was thisclose to being eliminated on last night’s results show.
The 16-year-old part-Mexican singer, long considered “the one to beat” earned the lowest amount of votes after this week’s performance show, causing jaws to drop and drawing boos from the stunned studio audience.
While Sanchez’s fellow finalists were left in shock and awe, Sanchez began singing in a last-ditch effort to snag the judges’ save.
But before the San Diego-native could finish her rendition of Deborah Cox’s “Nobody’s Supposed to Be Here,” Jennifer Lopez, Steven Tyler and Randy Jackson rushed the stage and took the microphone out of Sanchez’s hand.
Moments later, Jackson implored America to think before they vote.
“We are saving Jessica without any doubt. For myself, Steven and Jennifer, this girl is one of the best singers in America. Please everybody … vote for the best!”
It was the first time the judges had rushed to join an Idol hopeful on stage, following the use of their special “save” privilege, according to Ryan Seacrest.
When asked if she expected to be the lowest-vote-getting finalist of the night, Sanchez diplomatically replied: “No, not at all. I don’t expect anything. I just do what I do. Whatever happens, happens. I just want people to know I’ve been working hard my whole life.”
But Sanchez wasn’t the only frontrunner to end up in the unexpected bottom three. : Fellow one-to-watch Joshua Ledet, whose high-octane performance had wowed the judges the night before, was also in the bottom three.
“Everybody did a good job last night but that shouldn’t be the bottom three,” said Idol mentor Jimmy Iovine, sitting in the crowd.
It looks like there’s no stopping Jessica Sanchez…
Once again, the petite 16-year-old part-Mexican American Idol finalist with the gigantic voice showed her maturity and sheer talent during last night’s songs-from-2010-and-beyond-themed show.
During her rehearsal of the song she’d tackle this week—Jazmine Sullivan’s “Stuttering”—music executive/producer and mentor Jimmy Iovine couldn’t help but marvel at Sanchez’s singing chops.
Meanwhile, guest judge Akon commented on Sanchez’s maturing, telling her “You’ve got so much control for that age!”
And, when it came time to take the stage, Sanchez didn’t disappoint…
Sitting atop a piano in a shimmering metallic dress, black leggings and black knee-high boots, the San Diego native delivered a moving interpretation of Sullivan’s rare track.
“That was superb, I mean that was like at the highest degree,” decreed AI judge Randy Jackson. “You did an amazing job!”
Meanwhile, Jennifer Lopez gushed about how beautifully Sanchez performed the song and encouraged her to take the American Idol audience and viewers at home on a journey every week.
“You have an amazing opportunity to take this audience… on a ride” said Lopez. “Take us on the ride every week; you can show us something we’ve never seen!”
Later, Sanchez returned to the stage wearing a shoulderless white blouse and pants with pink piping to perform an energetic rendition of Kelly Clarkson’s “Stronger” as a trio with fellow finalists Joshua Ledet and HollieCavanagh.
