Katy Perry won’t try to be the next Simon Cowell when she judges contestants on ‘American Idol’ – as she doesn’t want to be known as ‘Mrs. Nasty’.
The TV talent show has been revived by ABC after Fox stopped airing the series in 2016 following a 14-year run on screens, and Katy is part of the new judging line-up along with Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan.
Simon was one of the original judges and got the nickname ‘Mr. Nasty’ because of the cutting comments he gave to the pop hopefuls.
But coming from a performing background the ‘Swish Swish’ hitmaker will be more sympathetic to the acts.
Speaking at a promotional event for the show on Wednesday (04.10.17), Katy said: "I don’t think any of us believe in being nasty. What we believe in is being constructive, and giving constructive criticism. Because it doesn’t help anyone, and people are really sensitive, and we understand because we all walked into a room like that at one time in our life."
Katy, 32, believes the biggest challenges facing the judges on the new series – which will once again hosted by Ryan Seacrest – is how to reject someone without being too cruel.
She added: "The most challenging thing was trying to figure out was how to say ‘no’ to people at first."
Her fellow judge Lionel agreed with the sentiment, and he explained that being a musician and songwriter himself has made it easier to empathise with the hopefuls and see the bigger picture.
He said: "It’s easy for an executive to say, ‘That’s garbage, next.’
"Well, yeah, but that was going to be a great songwriter in about four more years. You don’t kill him, so we try to inspire and at the same time be real."
Katy Perry won’t copy Cowell on American Idol
