The show must go on, even when one of its stars is late, as Nicki Minaj was on Wednesday night's (March 13) “Amercian Idol.”

Ready to start the live top ten competition, host Ryan Seacrest told the crowd the “Pound the Alarm” songstress was stuck in traffic.

Saying the evening would begin without her, he assured fans she was on her way with “I hear she's seven minutes out and there's some congestion on the 405. She should be here momentarily.”

The often outspoken singer arrived after the first contestant's turn, and took her place at the judges' table next to Keith Urban, Randy Jackson, and Mariah Carey.