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WhatToWatch

Entertainment

Michael Balderston

American Idol season 22 full guide: winner, how to watch and everything we know about the singing competition show

Katy Perry Lionel Richie Luke Bryan Ryan Seacrest

Luke Bryan, Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Ryan Seacrest in American Idol season 22 promo.

The 21st century's original singing competition show, American Idol, is back with an all new season and new contestants who hope to make their music dreams come true. While this marks the seventh season the show has aired on ABC, it is officially American Idol season 22 since the show debuted all the way back in 2002.

Since then, the singing competition shown has grown, with shows like The Voice and America's Got Talent proving popular among fans, but American Idol remains a go-to for viewers. According to ABC, American Idol season 21 was the No. 1 program in its Sunday, 8-10 pm timeslot.

If you're excited for this latest season of American Idol, we've got everything you need to know about season 22 right here.

American Idol season 22 winner

Abi Carter was crowned the winner of American Idol season 22, beating out Jack Blocker and Will Mosley in the final three.

How to watch American Idol season 22

If you missed any of the performances and want to go back and watch them in full, you can stream American Idol season 22 on-demand with a Hulu streaming subscription.

American Idol season 22 judges

The trio of Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie are all returning to serve as judges on American Idol season 22, as they have for all seven seasons that American Idol has been on ABC.

All three are iconic musicians in their own right. Bryan is a country star with five CMT Music Awards and 30 No. 1 hits. Perry is a pop star known for hit songs like "Firework," "Roar" and "California Gurls." Richie is a music legend with four Grammy Awards and hits like 'Hello" and "We Are the World," the latter of which is the subject of a new Netflix documentary, The Greatest Night in Pop.

Some big news dropped ahead of the show's return though. Appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Monday, February 12, Katy Perry announced that she expects this season of American Idol to be her final one as a judge.

American Idol season 22 host

Like the judges, the host of American Idol remains unchanged, as Ryan Seacrest is back once again to serve as the emcee of the show. Seacrest has been with American Idol from the beginning, but his career has spread beyond the series. He was a long-time morning talk show host alongside Kelly Ripa and is next in line to host Wheel of Fortune when Pat Sajak steps down. He also hosts the yearly New Year's Eve countdown on ABC.

American Idol season 22 trailer

American Idol has also shared the first full audition from season 22, which you can watch here:

American Idol winners

American Idol winners have gone on to become some of the biggest names in music and entertainment. Is the American Idol season 22 winner next? Time will tell, but until then take a stroll down memory lane by remembering all of the past American Idol winners: