The country star also shares a few A-list names that have 'been in talks' to join the judges' panel on 'American Idol's new season.
American Idol fans knew that Katy Perry was departing the show after the recent conclusion of season 22 -- but is an even bigger shift coming to the judges' panel?
In a new interview with Billboard, Luke Bryan opens up about which stars were in talks to replace Perry -- but admits there's a chance that he and Lionel Richie might also be on the way out.
"It's been interesting," the country star says of Idol's changes for the upcoming season. "It's been something Disney been really tightlipped about with me and Lionel and [host] Ryan [Seacrest]. We currently haven't heard what the story is on who's coming back, and if Lionel and I are coming back. I think Disney is just trying to figure out what they want to do and we're just kind of sitting back and waiting until they decide."
If Bryan and Richie do return, the "Love You, Miss You, Mean It" singer shares they'll likely be seated next to one of the three A-listers Bryan teased to ET last month.
"I think Pink has been in the talks, Miley Cyrus has been in the talks, Meghan Trainor has been in the talks," he reveals.
Pink told ET earlier this year that she didn't feel like she was the person for the job, explaining, "I don't like hurting people's feelings... I like my day job.”
Alternately, Trainor -- who served as a coach on Idol season 22 -- shared with ET last month that becoming a judge would be her "ultimate bucket list dream come true."
"There's nothing I want more in life than to be a judge on American Idol," Trainor said. "Please! I'm ready. I would love to."
Ultimately, whoever ends up taking Perry's seat has big shoes to fill, Bryan tells Billboard.
"Katy was really perfect for that job, and I think they’re just working real hard to find somebody that can really come in and do the job that Katy did," he shares.
Following Idol's season 22 finale -- in which Abi Carter was crowned the latest American Idol -- Perry spoke with ET about who she'd like to see replace her.
"I hope it's someone fearless. I hope it's someone that doesn't mince their words, maybe someone a little polarizing just like myself," Perry said. "There's a lot of people that's like, 'She's awful! She should go!' And there's a lot of people that are like, 'She speaks her mind! She's authentic!' Whatever, you can't win 'em all. I think it's actually better not to win 'em all because that means you actually have a point of view."
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