Katy Perry has been confirmed as the first judge for ABC‘s upcoming reboot of American Idol. Rumors began swirling over the past week that Perry would be a part of Idol‘s comeback.

“I am honored and thrilled to be the first judge bringing back the American Idol tradition of making dreams come true for incredible talents with authentic personalities and real stories,” said Perry in a statement. “I’m always listening to new music, and love discovering diamonds in the rough – from mentoring young artists on my label, or highlighting new artists on my tours, I want to bring it back to the music.”

“We are thrilled to be ushering in this new era of American Idol with Katy leading the charge,” added ABC Entertainment President Channing Dungey. “Her incredible accolades speak for themselves. We are so lucky to have this strong and talented woman help inspire and guide the next crop of artists as they pursue their dreams.”

On Monday, Perry announced her new album Witness will arrive on June 9 and she will be heading out on an arena tour of North America starting in September. She will also be seen on a different network this weekend when she performs as the musical guest on the season finale of Saturday Night Live on NBC.