Why has New Year’s Rockin’ Eve stood the test of time? DickClark set the tone for a nationwide—now global—celebration by televising what happens in Times Square and creating a party and a big concert environment for people who are going to be home. So they can ring in the New Year, celebrate and feel like they’re a part of something. What will the party look like this year? Ciara and BillyPorter will be joining as co-hosts. Last year, as you’re aware, there was nobody in Times Square, just a few people. This year, we’re hoping it’ll be a little more back to normal. New Year’s Rockin’ Eve has grown over the years. For the anniversary Puerto Rico is being added. With each year that has gone by, the telecast has expanded by hours. And with each year that goes by we’re asking, “What can we do a little bit different in the telecast?” In addition to showing what’s happening in New York City and checking in like we have in the past with New Orleans, and bringing in and inviting the biggest performers of the year, this year we’ve added our first Spanish-language countdown, which will be live from Puerto Rico. It will obviously be very exciting. The vibrancy of Puerto Rico, the culture of Puerto Rico, the music and scenes of Puerto Rico will be infused into the show. And we’ll also get a live countdown from Puerto Rico, so that will be new. You have been doing this show for 17 years now, but Dick Clark’s name is still attached. How important is it that his legacy remains? In my mind, when I think about New Year’s Eve and seeing the ball drop, and even some of the first scenes I had ever seen of New York City, where I now live, were through the television and through Dick Clark’s eyes as he hosted New Year’s Rockin’ Eve every year. It’s a bit strange to think of me being here. I still feel like it’s the show that obviously he created, and we’ve just grown it to be longer in terms of time and changed it up a little bit with these live performances since we have the technology to do it. Dick was a mentor to you as well. He really was. I met him when I first started hosting American Idol. I was nervous, terrified of sitting in a room with somebody I looked up to so much, because I wanted to make the conversation go smoothly. So I met him in late 2002, the first time ever in L.A. Right before New Year’s. Do you make New Year’s resolutions? I try to add a new layer to life every new year. This year my passion has migrated into the world of farming. I have personally planted two different olive groves in California. I’m studying how to cultivate those to create my own organic olive oil one day. Other celebs have launched wine, whiskey and tequila companies, but olive oil is your new passion? That’s my love and my hobby, and I’ll spend more time with my babies next year. I think there needs to be a very, very coveted organic olive oil brand in the world. It’s fun for me for now, but I really am interested in that. And, obviously, food is a big part of my life, I talk about that a lot with Kelly on the morning show. So we’ll see how that goes. What’s the secret to American Idol, returning in 2022 for its 20th anniversary, lasting for two decades? Looking back at some of the first seasons, the show looked and felt really different than it does now. Sure, the concept—the foundation—is the same. But look at the evolution of the artists who are auditioning now, and at the style of the show, and it’s a real study of how one show can continue to evolve. Do you worry about running out of talent for American Idol? I always think we’re going to run out of talent, but with new contestants every year, we’re refreshed quickly on how many great singers there are in this country. And also, the different judging panels—with each judging panel, the show has a new personality. How much do you think the music business has changed since the show’s inception? Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood launched huge careers. Do you think that’s still possible? I do think it’s still possible. When you have an exceptional artist with great songs, that can equal superstardom. It’s got to be the right time as well. There are many, many variables. There is a plethora of variables that go into creating a superstar. What’s fantastic about music now is that artists who could not have put out music or been exposed to fans can build their listener base and build their fan base from their own bedrooms. We didn’t have that when American Idol started. And I think that’s part of why when we get contestants now, they’re at a certain caliber when they enter the show before they even grow into it. There have been a lot of singer-songwriters in the past couple of seasons. More and more. As we see, more and more contestants are writing their own music, which is great. Now some are great, and some are not as good in terms of scoring, that’s a real skill. But you’ve got to give credit to someone who’s in their teens and who feels they’ve got a strong point of view to put into lyrics to perform in front of people. Last season, the final three people, all of them should have been winners because they were all great. Wouldn’t that be fun if I could just say, “Well, in a twist everyone wins. Thank you all for coming, see you next year”? Believe me, it crosses my mind. But it’s not really a moment to do anything in jest or as a playful joke. What do we have to look forward to for the anniversary year of American Idol? We’ve been to a couple different cities to audition, and once again we have seen a lot of kids come out and audition who would not have had the chance to audition if it weren’t for the technology we have today. When we started the show, you really had to pack up and drive, spend gas money and take time off work or school to get to us just to get an audition. Now at least they can audition through Zoom technology and feel like they’ve got possibly a better edge once they get to us in person. That didn’t exist many years ago. We had these massive, massive calls at stadiums around the country, then the judges came in. So I do think the exposure to different artists of all genres has gotten bigger because of the technology. I don’t know that there will be a slowing down with young singers now that we’ve adapted that Zoom-like feature to auditioning. Do you ever think about slowing down? You have so many jobs! I do think of how the pace that I kept when I was in my early 30s and the pace that I’m keeping in my mid-40s—and I’ll be 50 in four years—in my mid-40s, it’s definitely different. It’s not as easy as it used to be to sprint as fast back and forth from coast to coast. But I really enjoy the opportunities that I have. And so as long as I make time to spend with myself, with my orchard, with some of the things that are interesting to me, that gives me the motivation to keep on working hard. Next, Ryan Seacrest Reveals Why He Doesn’t Wear Socks on Live With Kelly and Ryan
