Every Judge Who Left 'American Idol' & Why - Find Out Why Judges Like Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul & Randy Jackson Left the Show

Nicki Minaj
(Season 12)

Nicki and co-star Mariah Carey famously traded barbs on and off-screen, leading to plenty of tension on set. Nicki would ultimately say she was leaving to focus on her music career.

“Thank you American Idol for a life changing experience! Wouldn’t trade it for the world! Time to focus on the Music!!! Mmmuuuaahhh!!!” she would announce after one season of the show amid reports of being “bad for the brand” at the time.

In 2013, Nicki told Ellen she had heard that Mariah didn’t want her on the panel, but she didn’t believe it until they started working together, and she “started feeling a little bit of, like, the shade,” so she “overcompensated by being crazier.”