Life after the show · 3 min read ·

Carly Smithson went out 6th on Idol, then judged its stadium auditions

Carly Smithson judged Idol stadium auditions in 2014. Kelly Clarkson began her 11th season as a Voice coach, and others became judges and scouts.

Carly Smithson

Carly Smithson

Photo: Jyle Dupuis from Canada · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Photo source.

Carly Smithson was eliminated sixth on season 7 of American Idol and served in 2014 as a table judge for season 14 stadium auditions. Kelly Clarkson returned for her 11th season as a coach on NBC’s The Voice in September 2026. Other contestants worked as judges and vocal coaches.

Kelly Clarkson coached on The Voice and Carrie Underwood judged Idol

Kelly Clarkson won season 1 of American Idol. In February 2018, she became a coach on NBC’s The Voice in season 14 and won that season with Brynn Cartelli.

Carrie Underwood won season 4 of American Idol. In 2025, she became a judge on ABC’s American Idol, replacing Katy Perry. In September 2026, Underwood was confirmed for season 25, her third season.

Kelly Clarkson

Photo: Marcus Wong Wongm · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Photo source.

Adam Lambert judged in Australia and Todrick Hall judged Drag Race

Adam Lambert finished as runner-up on season 8 of American Idol. In June 2016, he replaced James Blunt on the judging panel for the eighth season of The X Factor Australia, which ended in November 2016 with Isaiah Firebrace, an act from his team, as the winner. In February 2024, Lambert was announced as a judge on the 13th season of The Voice Australia.

Todrick Hall was eliminated in the Top 16 on season 9 of American Idol. He appeared as a guest judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race in April 2016, served as a full-time judge on All Stars 2 in 2016, and returned as a recurring guest judge in season 9 in 2017.

Adam Lambert

Photo: Christopher O'Quin, U.S. Marine Corps · Public domain · Photo source.

Alisan Porter and Courtney Harrell took coaching and producing roles

Alisan Porter won season 10 of The Voice in May 2016, the first win on the U.S. show for an artist with a female coach. She began vocal coaching during the COVID period and, by April 2024, had completed a fourth season as a coach on Fox’s The Masked Singer.

Courtney Harrell was eliminated in the Top 10 on season 11 of The Voice. Harrell became a coach on The Four: Battle for Stardom and, by June 2024, worked as a producer on America’s Got Talent.

Alisan Porter

Photo: jus10h · CC BY 2.0 · Photo source.

India Carney and Didi Benami coached singers for American Idol

India Carney was eliminated in the Top 5 on season 8 of The Voice. By June 2021, Carney had worked as a vocal coach on season 19 of American Idol and worked in 2021 with the singers of Alter Ego season 1. In July 2026, Carney talked about vocal coaching on The Voice and American Idol.

Didi Benami was eliminated 10th on season 9 of American Idol. Working as a vocal coach in Nashville, she prepared student Ja Thomas for season 20 of American Idol and coached season 24 contestant Genevieve Heyward.

Carly Smithson judged stadium auditions and others scouted and cast

Carly Smithson served as a table judge for American Idol season 14 stadium auditions in June and July 2014. Sarah Simmons was eliminated in the Top 8 on season 4 of The Voice and worked as an American Idol talent scout in the southeastern United States.

Luke Wade was eliminated in the wildcard round on season 7 of The Voice and worked in casting for The Voice in September 2018. Aijia Grammer received no chair turn in the blind auditions of The Voice season 10 and joined the casting department of Songland in 2019 as a talent producer for its first season.

Read another story

Photo credits (3 photos)
  • Kimberly Caldwell performing at Operation Rising Star: tim hipps u s army · Public domain · Photo source · cropped.
  • Electric guitar and cable: Nenad Stojkovic · CC BY 2.0 · Photo source · cropped.
  • Bucky Covington: Jyle Dupuis from Canada · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Photo source · cropped.