‘American Idol’ will hold its first-ever virtual auditions next season

If you’ve ever wanted to serenade Katy Perry or croon it out in front of Lionel Richie, here’s your chance to do so. As everyone continues to adjust to the new normal in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, American Idol has announced it will hold its first-ever virtual auditions for next season. And they’re going down a lot sooner than you’d think.According to Variety the reality competition series is going virtual as of August 10, when auditions for season 19 resume remotely. ABC confirmed the news to the publication, revealing that the strategy will allow the “Idol Across America” tour to expand across to all 50 states. For those keeping track, that’s the first time the show has ever been able to do that in its nearly 20-year history.[video_embed id='2004206']RELATED: Get ready for the biggest virtual Caribbean Carnival this weekend[/video_embed]Those who are interested in pursuing all of their vocal dreams on an international stage can sign up by creating a profile and selecting their virtual state on an online portal. Unfortunately, despite the historic success of Lauren Spencer-Smith last season, it appears as though Canadians cannot sign up for the virtual audition party, at least not right now. For those lucky Americans though, it appears as though this might be one of the most comfortable audition processes yet.Rather than lining up with the crowds and mingling with groups of intimidating strangers for hours on end while waiting a turn, people auditioning this year can select any audition date that works for them. Then, they’ll have a “face time” with a show producer so that they can still receive feedback in real-time. Although it’s unclear whether judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie or Luke Bryan will pop in (or if host Ryan Seacrest will be chiming in with his snappy one-liners), would it really be a season of Idol without their audition input? Of course it wouldn’t be.According to Variety the show has custom-built Zoom technology in place that will help host the nationwide search. That technology was put to the test earlier this year when the 18^th season of the show was forced to wrap virtually after stay-at-home orders hit in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. You can bet it was still a popping virtual party for Just Sam fans though, when the singer beat out Arthur Gunn on the May 17 finale.Idol won’t be the only reality show exploring online options this fall. The Masked Singer, which filmed season three in full before the pandemic hit last year, tried its hand at virtual technology with an official Nick Cannon-hosted after show. The series has announced it is going ahead with a new crop of mysterious masked contestants this September, although production details are still unclear. Other series like Dancing With the Stars, The Voice and America’s Got Talent are also contemplating and experimenting with virtual options. The latest seasons of The Bachelorette featuring Claire Crawley, and the second all-star edition of Big Brother, meanwhile, are taking place in-person following self-isolation and other preventative measures.In mid-July an insider spoke to People about Bachelorette leaving the iconic mansion where many of the Bachelor franchises typically film, and moving to La Quinta Resort in Palm Springs. "The resort is essentially a protective bubble," the publications quotes. "Nobody is coming and going. The cast and crew arrived before filming began and spent a few days getting used to all the necessary protocols."The person added, "It is a smaller crew, and people are wearing masks and keeping a social distance. [There have been] multiple rounds of testing for cast and crew and there is a medical team on site enforcing the protocols and administering tests. Obviously the show's premise is based partly on close proximities, so there is an abundance of safety and caution."Yup, so in other words, the new normal.[video_embed id='-1']BEFORE YOU GO: Pup gets geared up to go for motorcycle ride with his owner[/video_embed]