American Idol has three major shake-ups before new | TV Shows

American Idol has announced three major adjustments that will impression its upcoming season, following a surge in viewer participation that noticed the show break its own voting report.

The standard ABC collection acquired 26 million votes during the season 23 finale, more than double the engagement of the earlier season. Off the back of that strong response, the show has determined to alter a number of core components to keep audiences engaged and appeal to new viewers.

The first major Idol update issues how followers will vote. For the first time, viewers will likely be in a position to forged their votes through social media platforms. According to showrunner Megan Michaels Wolflick, the transfer has been years in the making and is designed to mirror how audiences now work together with tv.

“We have to meet the audience where they are. Back in 2002, when the show began, texting was the new hot thing,” she said. “We also have to meet the technology where it is, as well. We want to make it as easy as possible for people to vote for their favorites, weigh in from their couch with their second screen, in real time.”

Michaels Wolflick explained that she has wished to check social media voting for the past 5 years, noting that it’s not one thing other major leisure exhibits have yet applied. She also believes the change might help American Idol join with youthful viewers.

“If we can get Gen Alpha and Gen Z to weigh in a little bit more in the easiest way possible, that’s very exciting. It could tip the scale. Trends are always different,” she said.

The second change impacts a long-standing half of the competitors. Hollywood Week, which has historically adopted the audition rounds, will likely be scrapped and changed with Nashville auditions. Michaels Wolflick said the choice was pushed by a need to shake up expectations for both contestants and judges.

“We don’t know [how it’s going to go] until we do it. I love that there’s something exciting about it,” she said. “Even if it’s a failure, it’s still an adrenaline rush to try something new. It did work out, though.”

While Hollywood Week will no longer be half of the show, it’s being changed with a new spherical filmed in Hawai’i. The new section, called the Ohana Round, will span three episodes and happen at the Disney-owned Aulani resort.

Hollywood Week has often been described as a “fish out of water” expertise for contestants, many of whom are overwhelmed by the dimensions and stress of the setting. The Ohana Round is anticipated to offer a different ambiance while still testing rivals as the sphere narrows.