Kara DioGuardi: Idol fans didn’t understand me

Kara DioGuardi has claimed that American Idol producers didn’t adequately present her music industry credentials to the show’s viewers. The songwriter was added to Idol’s judging panel in 2009, but exited the Fox reality competition after just two seasons. DioGuardi would later claim that she frequently clashed with fellow former judge Simon Cowell.

A decision by American Idol’s producers to not prominently emphasise her track record of writing numerous pop hits stands as one of the reasons why DioGuardi’s tenure on the series was so brief, she revealed to Reuters.

“I think [the audience] didn’t quite understand my role,” she remarked. “Some thought I was there to take over Paula’s role and they didn’t understand that I was in the music business. When I first got the job, I said, ‘Why do you need a fourth judge?’ It was completely puzzling to me. I can only imagine what it was like for the American people.”

DioGuardi will now help guide aspiring songwriters craft a track worthy of the show’s $100,000 prize on her new Bravo programme Platinum Hit.

While the series will continue to highlight her passion for music, the star doesn’t see many similarities between Platinum Hit and American Idol.

“The show is completely different since it’s not about performing. It’s about the song,” she asserted. “And it’s about the people that write that song. This is a show about finding the next great songwriting talent and looking into the process of songwriting, which I think is going to be very interesting.”

Platinum Hit premieres May 30 at 10/9c on Bravo, while American Idol concluded this week by crowning Scotty McCreery as the tenth season champion.