American Idol 2018: Everything you need to know

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Popular prime-time singing competition American Idol is slated to undergo a revival this year for its 16th season.

The show, which originally ran from 2002 to 2016, famously featured judges Simon Cowell, Paula Adbul and Randy Jackson. During its run, a number of winners and other top finishers went on to score major radio hits. 

Here’s everything you need to know about when the new season premieres, who the judges are, who the host is, who the show’s previous winners are, its schedule and what happened to American Idol alumni Leah LaBelle.

When does American Idol 2018 start?

American Idol 2018 will premiere on Sunday, March 11 at 8:00 PM ET. 

Who are the 2018 American Idol judges?

The American Idol judges for the 2018 season will be Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Ritchie.

The new judge panel will differ significantly from previous seasons of American Idol, which predominantly featured Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson and a rotating cast of celebrity judges, which included Mariah Carey, Keith Urban, Nicki Minaj and Steven Tyler.

Who is the host of American Idol?

American Idol host Ryan Seacrest will be returning in 2018 as host for the new season.

Seacrest previously hosted American Idol during its original run from 2002 to 2016.

When and where are the American Idol auditions?

The auditions for the 2018 season of American Idol were held in New York from October 3 – 4, 2017, New Orleans, Louisiana on October 14, 2017, Nashville, Tennessee from October 19 – 20, 2017, Savannah, Georgia from October 28 – 29, 2017 and Los Angeles from November 16 – 17, 2017.

Audition dates and locations for a potential 2019 season of American Idol have yet to be announced.

American Idol winners list

Over the years, a number of American Idol winners have gone on to make it big. Here’s a quick look at the past winners from previous iterations of American Idol during its original run:

Season 1 – Kelly Clarkson

Season 2 – Ruben Studdard

Season 3 – Fantasia Barrino

Season 4 – Carrie Underwood

Season 5 – Taylor Hicks

Season 6 – Jordin Sparks

Season 7 – David Cook

Season 8 – Kris Allen

Season 9 – Lee DeWyze

Season 10 – Scotty McCreery

Season 11 – Phillip Phillips

Season 12 – Candice Glover

Season 13 – Caleb Johnson

Season 14 – Nick Fradiani

Season 15 – Trent Harmon

When is American Idol on TV?

The 2018 season of American Idol can be seen on ABC on Sundays and Mondays at 8:00PM ET starting March 11.

That puts the show’s revival season in direct competition with The Voice, which is aired at the same time on NBC on Monday nights.

What happened to Leah Labelle?

Leah LaBelle was on the third season of American Idol’s twelfth place finalist.

In 2011, she signed a joint recording deal with Epic Records, So So Def Recordings and Pharrell Williams’s label I Am Other. She released singles Sexify in 2012 and Lolita in 2013.

Saldy, LaBelle passed away on January 31, 2018 at age 31 in a car accident. Her husband, former NBA player Rasual Butler, was also killed in the crash.