Miley Cyrus pitches Carrie Underwood as 'American Idol' judge after salary demand prices her out

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Miley Cyrus suggested "backup singer" Carrie Underwood as an 'American Idol' judge after the high salary demand priced the 'Wrecking Ball' singer out.

Underwood, 41, got the gig after Cyrus, 31, demanded a salary that matched or exceeded the $25 million the outgoing judge Katy Perry had been getting, sources informed RadarOnline.

Miley Cyrus pitches 'backup singer' Carrie Underwood as 'American Idol' judge

A source informed the outlet, "Idol ratings have slid the past few years, so they were looking for a more affordable option." A network insider added, "It's well known internally Miley Cyrus was the network and the producers' first choice to replace Katy, but topping Katy's already high salary was never on the table."

Meanwhile, Underwood agreed to take $12 million for the gig, the amount that is on par with fellow judges Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan.

A source added, "Carrie really wanted to get on board with Idol. Money wasn't a big motivation for her, it was more getting off the road from touring and being able to spend more time with her family."

The former 'American Idol' winner still maintains a deep appreciation for the show's role in her career, which helped her from being unknown to being a household name after she won the fourth season in 2005.

The source further said, "Miley would have brought a lot of Katy-like sass to American Idol. Carrie is more reserved and will be nicer to the contestants. But Idol still got the big name they sought and at a price they could swallow."

Katy Perry leaves 'American Idol' after seven seasons

Katy Perry left 'American Idol' in May 2024 after serving as one of the judges for the last seven seasons. Perry, Bryan, and Richie joined 'American Idol' in 2018 when ABC revived the show after fifteen seasons on Fox. The judge’s panel remained unchanged from season 16 until Perry’s departure.

Perry announced on February 12, 2024, that she was leaving the show after Season 22 during an appearance on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!'

She said, "So I think this will probably be my last season for Idol," adding that she loves the show "so much" and it has made her feel "connected with the heart of America," per Forbes.

Perry’s fellow judge Richie admitted that he is "not mad" about the singer leaving this show. He jokingly said in a different episode of 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' "It just made me run off the road when I first heard about it. My phone blew up."

He added, "No, we didn’t know about it, but it makes sense. In other words: The reason I love coming on the show with you and the reason I’m doing American Idol is because I have 400 years of stories and a life in the music business. I have things that I’ve done."

Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan clash over Katy Perry's replacement

A source close to the reality show told Life & Style in May that Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan had been clashing over Katy Perry's replacement. The insider said, "It’s turning into a real claw-fest now that Katy’s leaving."

Since Perry's departure announcement, both Richie and Bryan had been feuding over who should fill her seat. The source said, "This has been a very stressful time for Luke and Lionel because they’ve been left in the dark about so much — there was even talk producers were going to start fresh with a whole new lineup and give them the boot."

The insider added, "That hasn’t happened, so now the next worry is who will join the show. Luke’s complaining Lionel’s trying to insert one of his favorites and hijack the show."

The source further stated, "Luke thinks the decision isn’t up to them, it’s the bosses who should decide, and he’s irritated that Lionel’s being so pushy behind the scenes."

Richie openly admitted that he wanted a friendly face to join them at the judges' table. He said, "I do have my eye on at least two."

An insider said, "Lionel is constantly putting his two cents in to sway producers and saying they should get someone like Diana Ross, Kenny Chesney or Tim McGraw — if they’d agree to do it."

The source also mentioned, "All of them have collaborated with Lionel over the years and Luke thinks even if they agreed, it would put Lionel at an unfair advantage over him."