Pharrell Williams was almost a judge on American Idol . However, the veteran producer doesn’t exactly agree with how the show is currently put together.
Although the “Happy” singer didn’t come right out and bash FOX’s popular singing competition, it’s clear that Williams doesn’t think too highly of the program. While some musicians would jump at the chance to appear on the show, Pharrell obviously didn’t feel signing on as a judge was a very wise decision.
“[American Idol] interviewed me, but I think I turned them off pretty quickly. Not to sling mud, because Ryan [Seacrest] has been very kind to me, but a lot of the philosophy behind the show, I just didn’t get,” Williams explained to Howard Stern .
He added, “Because I saw a lot of people not make it on the show, other people that did get on the show get voted off, and it just didn’t feel right to me.”
Pharrell Williams also believes that American Idol is specifically designed to find artists who fit a particular mold. If you’re a talented musician and you don’t fit the part, then your time on the program will come to a very abrupt end.
In addition to sharing his thoughts about the aforementioned TV show, Williams also revealed that his hit song “Happy” was almost released by a different artist. The singer told Stern that CeeLo Green recorded a version of the tune , though it was ultimately shelved by certain folks working behind-the-scenes.
“[Green] wanted to do it… and he did do it. He sounded amazing on it, he burns my version! But… how do I say this diplomatically? The powers that be, at the time, did not see it fit for him.Some folks on his team just felt that the priority should be on (his) album at the time, so they elected not to do that song,” Williams explained.
He added, “There was a much bigger agenda for [him], he had an album to put out. It’s not his fault — he was totally down with it… He was one of the most gracious people about it when (“Happy”) came out.”
While Green may have recorded a fantastic version of the song, Pharrell’s version of “Happy” is still quite popular. The song is a hit across the globe, generating millions of views on YouTube alone.
Are you surprised that Pharrell Williams turned down an opportunity to help out with American Idol ? Do you agree with his assessment of the show?
[Image via SwaggNews ]