Nicki Minaj has confounded many of her fans with her decision to become an American Idol judge. Minaj insists that she’s a fan of the show, though and in a press conference yesterday (September 16, 2012), she explained that she had been inspired when she watched the first series of the show. “I remember watching American Idol in the first season and feeling inspired… I spoke to Jordin Sparks the other day and here she is starring in a movie ['Sparkle'] and I said to her, 'I remember watching you and picking up my phone.”

We’ll gloss over the fact that Nicki didn’t actually vote for Jordin … but the sentiment is still the same. Minaj decided to join the show because she’d experienced first-hand the power that it can have over viewers – compelling them to pick up the phone and vote for their favourite singers. “This is such a credible brand,” Minaj told reporters. “It’s really serious, it’s real deal it's not anything else other than really looking for talent. If I can be a part of that I'm really down for it.” Unlike the official photo-call, for which she donned an outlandish luminous yellow, orange and green wig, Minaj opted for a sleek blonde number for the press conference.

There are already reports that Minaj does not get along with her co-judge Mariah Carey. Reports have surfaced that Carey was talking over her younger co-star in the first round of auditions and it already seems as though their onscreen relationship will provide a large proportion of the entertainment, this season. We reckon the real drama will erupt when the contestants start attempting some Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj songs