Fox is wrapping the prime-time staple “American Idol” and has a plan in place for life after the former ratings juggernaut. The Los Angeles Times reports that the network is placing a few more of its eggs in the Lee Daniels basket after the hitmaker proved his value to the network with “Empire.”

“Idol” is set to sign off next year, and today Fox announced “Star,” a new drama project from Daniels. The network has ordered a pilot for the show, which tracks an aspiring girl group.

Talking to reporters today at the Television Critics Association summer press tour in Beverly Hills, Fox TV Group Chairman and Chief Executive Dana Walden said of the new project: “Like ‘Empire,’ it’s set against the backdrop of the music business but from a very different perspective. It will be set in Atlanta; it’s about three girls who come together to form a band and it’s about their rise to the top in a very challenging business.”

Walden added: “There’s a lot from Lee’s own life that’s baked into the DNA of this project.”

Daniels’ previous effort for Fox, “Empire,” co-created with Danny Strong, was the sleeper smash hit of the previous TV season. The show is due back in 2015-16 with 18 new episodes.

“Fox says that an average of 17 million total viewers tuned in to each ‘Empire’ episode during the first week after the initial telecast. And over a 30-day period, each episode drew 26 million total viewers,” the Times notes.