According to judge Kara DioGuardi, female Idol winners are “easier to break” into the music industry once their records are made. Given the “unique” women who have advanced so far this season, DioGuardi thinks there’s a good chance a girl might win Idol.

She figures it’s perfect timing since music is currently being dominated by fierce females like Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Taylor Swift, and Katy Perry. Not only do women rule the mic on Idol, they rule the judges’ panel.

DioGuardi says she’s much “more relaxed and comfortable” this year as a judge and Ellen DeGeneres is also holding her own. She finds Ellen to be good mix of “kind and critical” and adds, “She knows a lot more about music than people think.”

American Idol airs every Tuesdays and Wednesdays on FOX.