Exec producer Nigel Lythgoe reportedly explained that they would eliminate “the round that shrinks the contestants from a group of 24 to 12, instead opting to just go straight to the top 12.†Also, there will be new challenges for the artists, including making a music video or working “with a band and dancers for an awards show-style performance.†Judges Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler await when the show restarts on January 12. [TV Guide]