‘American Idol’: Katy Perry Reinforces Her Icon Status With Powerful ‘What Makes a Woman’ Performance
Katy Perry said her final goodbye to American Idol during the latest season’s finale on May 19. Perry was cast as a judge alongside Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie back in 2018 when it transitioned from Fox to ABC. Together, the three of them remained judges for seven years. Perry is the first of the three to move on.
Perry wants to return to the stage herself, and she cemented her icon status once more during the American Idol grand finale, where she sang her 2020 song “What Makes a Woman” alongside third place winner Jack Blocker.
Katy Perry stunned viewers with her iconic dress and performance on ‘American Idol’
Perry has never done anything low key on the show, from dressing as Cinderella for Disney Week to her hilarious facial expressions during auditions. And her “What Makes a Woman” performance matched that energy, with Perry emerging in a dress stitched with images of Idol contestants who auditioned for the show while she was judge. Perry sang alongside Jack Blocker, who came in third, and both of them were uplifted to new heights, literally, during their performance when the floor rose up beneath them while they sung.
Not only did Perry look fantastic, but the emotion in her voice was felt through the television. She sang on key, soft yet well-toned, and she continues to cement herself as a presence in the music industry despite some recent social media critiques that her musical content isn’t what it once was.
As the finale drew to a close, Perry was getting more and more emotional about her Idol departure. Idol’s ladies from this season’s top 12 sang a tribute to Perry with her songs like “Dark Horse” and “California Girls.” By the show’s close, Perry was in tears.
Katy Perry’s ‘American Idol’ exit was bittersweet, but she is ready for a new chapter
Perry revealed earlier this year that this season as an American Idol judge would be her last. She said she has loved her time with the other judges but that she feels “connected” to Americans and wants to potentially make new music.
“I feel so connected to America that I want to go out there again and sing and play music and hold their hands and [tour] and bring my daughter and show her and all that stuff,” Perry told Good Morning America. Perry has a daughter, Daisy Dove, 3, whom she shares with longtime partner Orlando Bloom. She also joked that her only requirement for her replacement judge is that it’s “someone that can put up with Luke and Lionel.”
Of course, the finale was bittersweet, but American Idol seemed to wish nothing but the best for Perry on her future endeavors. There has been no word about who her replacement judge will be.
