Perry, 39, who was on the late night show to promote the series’ 22nd season, admitted that not even her fellow judges knew about her decision.
“What did Luke and Lionel say?” Kimmel asked.
“Well, they’ll find out tonight!” Perry replied.
The “Firework” singer joined American Idol in 2018 when the show was revived by ABC after a 15-season run on FOX.
Perry and her fellow judges, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie, were recently announced as judges for the upcoming 22nd season.
Although she hadn’t specifically told Bryan and Richie her plans, she said they knew she had been in the studio and “they figured something is coming.”