And when it comes to her fellow judges’ thoughts on the newest addition to the table, Underwood has already gotten the stamp of approval from Richie.
“It makes a lot of sense,” he told E! News earlier this month. “It’s not someone we have to get used to. And the fact that she has a great story, she came from American Idol.”
“What a great judge,” the “All Night Long” singer added, “now we don’t have to explain anymore, ‘We know how you feel.’ As artists, we know how you feel, but we’ve never been in that oval that says, ‘American Idol.’ She’s been there, done that.”
While fans wait for Underwood’s judging debut, keep reading to catch up on where other American Idol alums are today.