Nikki Minaj and American Idol

I just want to say for the record that I love Nikki Minaj, and may possibly even be obsessed with her since seeing her as a judge on American Idol. I appreciate how she challenges the typical Idol norms, like prematurely pigeonholing contestants into stereotypes (e.g. “the country singer” vs. “the pop star”). If this year is the year in which “glorified weirdness” can be appreciated and “awkwardness is the new confidence”—and I really hope it is—then we have Nikki Minaj to thank.

(Yes, this is a retro-post. I’m a cheater.)