Season 12 brings changes in judges, auditions for “American Idol”

Nigel Lythgoe, executive producer of “American Idol” said interesting changes are in store for this Season 12 of the show.

In addition to hitting some new towns, including Oklahoma City, for mass auditions, “We've actually taken an ‘American Idol' bus out to the little towns this year with a producer on board who have brought kids back in to the audition,” Lythgoe said.

People were also allowed to nominate someone who might not audition on their own.

The new judges bring a new set of dynamics to the table, Lythgoe said. Veteran “Idol” judge Randy Jackson will be joined by Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj and Keith Urban, the show's first country music judge.

“He is the scratching post between Mariah and Nicki,” Lythgoe said.

Minaj and Carey have been in gossip blogs for months for their squabbles on and around the show. Even seemingly cool Urban gets downright passionate about the job of judging, Lythgoe said.