American Idol Hires Nicki Minaj and Keith Urban for Season 12; American Idol Live Tour in Manila

Next season’s American Idol will almost have a completely new set of judges sitting on the panel along with only original mainstay Randy Jackson and host Ryan Seacrest.

It was finally confirmed that joining Mariah Carey, who was announced as new AI judge weeks ago, were Trinidadian singer Micki Minaj and New Zealand country-singer Keith Urban.

Gone were pop superstar Jennifer Lopez and legendary rocker Steven Tyler.

Randy Jackson was ecstatic about the new additions calling them “fresh, fresh, fresh 'Idol' one-two!".

Keith Urban has been so excited about his new job and has lauded AI for discovering real superstars in the music business. And Nicki Minaj is exactly looking for that, “a real superstar”.

On the one hand, Ryan Seacrest admires so greatly the new set of judges, showing how “powerful” the show is.

With competition in the talent-search show business expanding exponentially, with the remarkable rise of other outfits like X-Factor and the Voice, American Idol had been searching for big name judges and had been so lucky to have landed Mariah Carey and the two new faces in Minaj and Urban.

Meanwhile, the American Idol Season 11 Live Tour’s Manila stopover is very fast approaching on September 21, 2012 at SMART Araneta Coliseum.

This should be one very good show considering that Fil-am sensation Jessica Sanchez is on the line-up and of course, Phillip Phillips, who is so fast rising as a singing star with his Billboard hit “Home”.

The Season 11 winners are touted as the best set of winners in the popular American show. Other members of the line-up are Joshua Ledet, Colton Dixon, Skylar Laine, Hollie Cavanagh, Elsie Testone, Heejun Han, DeAndre Brackensick and Erika Van Pelt.

Catch them while their live for their sensational performances, solo and group performances that had captivated fans the world over.