After much speculation on who might fill the two seats on season twelve of American Idol, it has been announced that one of the vacancies will be taken by Mariah Carey.
Carey, speaking with the Chicago Sun Times, said she's excited to join Fox's singing competition. The gig will pay her between $12 and $15 million per year.
Carey adds that she is a huge fan of the show and has been what she calls "an Idol addict" since Season 1.
"Mariah hardly misses an episode of Idol'" said a Carey associate Sunday night. "Even when she's on the road, she makes sure it's recorded so she can watch it later."
Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez recently announced their departure from the program. Currently, the judge's panel consists of Carey and Idol vet Randy Jackson.
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June 12, 2026 17:14 ET Major central bank action was the focus this week in economic news. The European Central Bank became the first major central bank to move in response to the rising inflationary pressures in the backdrop of the conflict in the Middle East. In North America, the U.S. inflation and trade data as well as Canada’s central bank decision gained attention. The Chinese trade data was the main news in Asia.