(AP) – The disbelieving looks on the judges’ faces can mean only one thing: It’s the start of auditions on “American Idol.” Tonight’s singers are from the Chicago tryouts. As usual, many of them are ear-splitting, but there are some good ones sprinkled in. Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj and Keith Urban are hearing this year’s versions of William Hung for the first time. This is the 12th season Randy Jackson has suffered through the early auditions.

Nicki Minaj used to think it was “so stupid” when she’d see Jennifer Lopez and other judges cry on “American Idol.” She says she thought they should “get a life.” But now that she’s cried as a judge, Minaj says she takes it all back. She says “When you’re looking into someone’s eyes and they gave their all and you know their journey ends here, it’s a tough pill to swallow.” Producers are hoping Minaj, Mariah Carey and Keith Urban will help the show bounce back from their lowest-rated season since 2002. They’re being paid $36 million dollars to deliver. If they don’t, they could end up like Britney Spears, who was paid a reported $15 million to goose the ratings of “The X Factor,” which went down instead. She was bounced after just one season.