Last week, Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez announced that they would be leaving the judges' table on American Idol, opening up new spots and speculation on whom would fill them. Now, sources close to Aretha Franklin (via CNN) say she'd be happy to be a judge on the program.
"She would love that gig. It pays millions of dollars and she could stay put [in one place] for a few months to do it."
However, the source added that the Queen of Soul's fear of flying would prevent her from travelling from state to state during the audition stage of the show.
In an interview with the Las Vegas Sun, Franklin reiterated her interest:
"I still haven't been on American Idol . . . I'd love to be a mentor."
Idol's producers have not responded to Franklin's words.
For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com
Entertainment News
June 05, 2026 16:18 ET A busy week for economic news flow saw a slew of reports being released that reflected the trends in the U.S. labor market. In Europe, economic growth and inflation data gained attention as the European Central Bank and Bank of England head for policy session later in the month. In Asia, the monetary policy session of the Indian central bank was in focus as the country, a major oil importer, reels under the pressures of a weaker rupee and rising inflation.