When ABC airs “American Idol” Season 17, it will be the beginning of an unforgettable journey for one contestant, who will be crowned the winner and walk away with an amazing grand prize.

However, before a contestant can even think about their finale performance, they must impress judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie during the auditions. In the end, it will be up to America to vote for which contestant should win the competition.

Last year, Season 18 winner Maddie Poppe won a recording contract and $250,000. While that is definitely something to smile about, previous “American Idol” winners actually earned more.

According to a 2010 New York Times article, $650,000 was the minimum amount of money that an “American Idol” winner could receive at the time.

The large sum was reportedly due to contract stipulations that would bind the contestants to the show’s producers for up to seven years, which is around twice as long as a typical first recording contract.

Details about the 2019 contract have not been revealed, and it remains unclear how long the grand prize winner will be under their record deal.

However, those contestants who wow the judges and make it to Hollywood will get a chance to compete over the mysterious contract that offers an individual the opportunity to jump-start their music career.

During the competition, the aspiring artists will meet with multimedia personality Bobby Bones, who has been tapped to act as an in-house mentor.

Bones will be on hand to challenge contestants to leave their comfort zones, and show the world just how powerful their vocals can be.

Tune in to see which contestants will make it to the finale, and walk away with the ultimate grand prize when “American Idol” Season 17 premieres Sunday at 8 p.m. EST on ABC.

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