It’s the end of an era for Katy Perry!
The “Queen of Camp” was seen getting teary-eyed as she walked into Season 22 “Grand Finale” alongside Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie for the very last time after announcing her departure from the renowned ABC reality singing competition.
The farewell episode aired on Sunday, May 19, 2024, included a heartfelt tribute showcasing the 39-year-old global pop star’s emotional journey since her debut as the judge in the sixteenth season, which continued to last and built a strong foundation for seven extraordinary seasons.
While gracing the stage, Perry was visibly seen getting overwhelmed with her emotions, as the reality of her being on the judge’s panel for the last time hit her hard once she came face to face with the show’s beloved host, Ryan Seacrest.
Previously, the “Firework” singer-songwriter predicted her reaction to her final appearance, in an interview posted by ABC7, saying, “I think I will be crying at anything.” Further adding, “It’s been a beautiful journey and I love watching these kids grow and becomeing this big beautiful patchwork quilt.”
During the three-hour finale, Perry also took the stage with third-place finalist Jack Blocker, and they performed a duet singing “What Makes a Woman.” She wore an eye-catching silver-plated dress covered with contestants’ faces, which was lifted onto a platform for the viewers to see.
Watch the entire performance, below:
In the comment section, one user said, “The fact that her dress is all the contestants faces – ICONIC!” A second user wrote, “What a beautiful way to say goodbye to American idol, Katy!” A third one exclaimed, “Katy’s dress with all the contestants faces!! Ahh that’s so cool and amazing that she did that.” A fourth one simply said, “Outstanding duet! Both of them sounded amazing!”
The night became even more memorable for the five-time “American Music Awards”-winning artist as the show’s Top 12 ladies set the stage on fire and performed a surprise medley of Perry’s greatest hits. While enjoying the performance, Perry was seen eating a slice of pizza, and by the end, she jumped onto the judge’s table and gave a strong-arms salute.
The performance included “Teenage Dream,” “Dark Horse,” and “California Gurls,” in honor of her last day as a judge on “American Idol” which was applauded by the audience.
In addition to this, once the show reached its final minutes and Abi Carter was officially announced as the winner, Carter performed a heart-touching iteration of Billie Eilish’s Oscar-winning song, “What Was I Made For?” which once again made Perry shed some tears.
Check out the final moments of “American Idol” Season 22, below.
🚨🚨Spoiler Alert 🚨🚨
Katy Perry gets emotional during the final moments of the #AmericanIdol Season 22 finale pic.twitter.com/o1K1famDG0
— Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) May 20, 2024
Streaming Options: “American Idol” is available to watch on ABC, and later on Hulu.