Katy Perry ended her seven-year American Idol run in fashion on Sunday night time (Might 19), singing, desk leaping and pizza-tossing her approach off the stage in the course of the three-hour season 22 finale. Whereas the episode was ostensibly meant to crown this 12 months’s winner — which it did, spoiler alert, in singer Abi Carter — it was additionally an evening to rejoice Perry, who introduced earlier this 12 months that she can be leaving the collection after serving alongside Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan because the present jumped to ABC in 2018.
In a testomony to Perry’s up-for-anything perspective, Idol ran a clip bundle mid-way by Sunday’s present that includes highlights from her usually wild-and-wacky run. From Bryan jump-scaring his accomplice early on to Perry visiting Luke’s farm for a lesson on corn science, crying with contestants, modeling a collection of more and more outrageous outfits and getting ice cream smooshed on her face by her cohorts, Perry regarded joyful, and emotional, because the final hour ticked down.
Simply earlier than the ultimate votes had been learn, Perry, 39, took to the stage one final time to carry out “What Makes a Lady” from her 2020 album Smile with finalist Jack Blocker. Initially seated whereas carrying what regarded like a metallic bustier, Perry started to stand up as Blocker sang the second verse, revealing an expansive gown plastered with the faces of Idol contestants who’ve appeared on the present throughout her run. Hovering excessive above the stage as paper butterflies rained down throughout her, Perry’s gown was the right lasting picture of the singer’s candy embrace of her Idol period.
“143, I like you,” Perry mentioned as she held up coronary heart fingers. Later within the present, as Katy munched on a slice of pizza, the ladies of the highest 12 carried out a medley of Perry’s songs, together with “Teenage Dream,” “Darkish Horse” and “California Gurls.” The efficiency ended with Perry leaping to her ft and climbing up on the decide’s desk to flex her arms as Bryan pelted her with seashore balls.
With the sand operating out following Carter’s coronation, Perry let the tears circulation freely as this 12 months’s winner sang Billie Eilish’s Oscar-winning “What Was I Made For?” to cap her golden season 22 run, with Richie sharing a final, lengthy hug with Katy as confetti rained down round them.
Idol has been renewed for a twenty third season, however at press time Perry’s substitute had not but been introduced.
Try photos from Perry’s closing night time beneath.