The show has always featured celebrity judges, which have included the likes of Simon Cowell, Jennifer Lopez, and Ellen DeGeneres. Judging alongside Carey in Season 12 was Nicki Minaj, and the two were rumored to be feuding. Alluding to the rumors, Carey said, “I’m not going to get into what it was, but let’s just say I don’t think they had any intentions for us to have a good experience doing that show. Pitting two females against each other wasn’t cool.” She called the feud “non-existent,” taking attention when “it should have been about the contestants.”
The judging itself wasn’t fun for the singer, either. “It’s so boring and so fake,” she said. According to Carey, it would have been great to be able to say “it was good” and leave it at that; instead she had to come up with something to say to everybody.
It sounds like parting ways with American Idol was for the best for Carey. While she may have no interest in participating in the final episode, fans will get their chance to say goodbye when the show ends its 15-season run in 2016. The final season will feature long-time host Ryan Seacrest, as well as returning judges Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban, and Harry Connick Jr.
