Minaj, Urban Named ‘Idol’ Judges

The 12th season of American Idol just got a little bit country and a little bit weird. Singer-songwriter Keith Urban and the multipersonalitied Nicki Minaj will join the judging panel on American Idol alongside Mariah Carey and Randy Jackson, Fox announced Sunday. “Nicki’s an unbelievably captivating international phenomenon who has made an indelible mark on rap and pop,” said Fox reality programming boss Mike Darnell in announcing the new panelists. “And Keith is another great addition to Idol—he’s one of the biggest stars in country music.” The judging panel has been in flux in recent years, though the first eight seasons of the show were overseen by Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson.