Entertainment

Bring on the noise

WHAT TO EXPECT: Ryan Seacrest (from left) joins the new “Idol” judges’ lineup: Mariah Carey, Keith Urban, Nicki Minaj and Randy Jackson. (Fox)

WHAT TO EXPECT: Ryan Seacrest (from left) joins the new “Idol” judges’ lineup: Mariah Carey, Keith Urban, Nicki Minaj and Randy Jackson. (
)

Already, Nicki Minaj is calling next year’s “American Idol” “Season Collide.”

The plantimun-topped pop singer, who just signed on to judge the upcoming 12th season of “Idol,” may have been referring to the clash of musical styles among the show’s new judges — country superstar Keith Urban, pop diva Mariah Carey and rap princess Minaj.

But yesterday at the panel’s first public event — a packed press conference called during a break in taping auditions for next year’s show — the word “collide” had a whole different meaning.

During the first round of auditions, it appears 29-year-old Minaj and 42-year-old Carey have been engaged in an updated version of the Paula Abdul-Simon Cowell clashes that made the show famous.

The squabbling started when Carey began to speak over Minaj’s critiques of an auditioning singer, according to reports.

After several interruptions, Minaj raised her voice to drown out Carey, according to TMZ.

Moments after the first day finally wrapped up, a fan tweeted Minaj to see how the judging had gone, and the pop princess cryptically replied, “It was . . . interesting . . .”

At the press conference yesterday, Minaj refused to discuss the tiff, but Carey repeatedly joked about it.

“It’s been two days,” Carey said with a laugh, while Minaj forced a smile. “A feud takes a little longer to happen.

“Don’t mind me interjecting or butting in,” Carey told Minaj a short while later. “That’s just how I am.”

While the singers faced off against each other, it was Jackson who reminded them that the real competition was Simon Cowell’s “The X Factor,” which debuted its second season last week, also with a new — and similarly configured — line up that includes pop star Britney Spears and young star Demi Lovato,

“American Idol” is the only singing competition that creates superstars,” Jackson reminded reporters — a not-so-subtle putdown of the “X Factor’s” track record so far.

“And we have superstars on our panel, too,” he added.

So what do the divas think they bring to the table?

“I bring part of the now moment in pop culture [to the show],” Minaj told reporters.

“The business has changed so much in the last 15 years with social media, which can be incredibly harsh,” she said, “sometimes you just have to tell people they might not want to get into the business.

“Plus, I get to wear a lot of wigs.”

Carey, meanwhile, was more serious, saying, “I have to be completely honest, I’ve never been a fan of this type of [show].

“But I realize what this show has done for artists’ careers. It is an incredibly powerful brand.”

“Idol” begins its new season in February.