There’s a first time for everything. Katy Perry was booed by audience members on the Monday, April 17, episode of American Idol after giving a performer constructive criticism.
During the Hawaii-set episode, the “Firework” singer, 38, compared contestant Nutsa Buzaladze’s performance of “Paris (Ooh La La)” by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals to dropping a “glitter bomb” on stage. Despite praising the 25-year-old singer’s onstage pizzazz, Perry had one note for the artist: “I think one thing I personally would like to see from you is not one piece of the glitter the next time. I know that’s gonna be hard.”
Her comment prompted a strong reaction from audience members, who proceeded to boo the Grammy nominee. The reaction was one Perry’s fellow judge Luke Bryan particularly enjoyed, as he jokingly stated, “Yes! Katy got booed. Katy got booed.”
The “Roar” singer pointed out that it was the “first time in six seasons” that she had been booed. She, Bryan, 46, and Lionel Richie began their roles as judges on season 16 of the ABC competition series in 2018.
Continuing her critique for Buzaladze, Perry — who shares daughter Daisy Dove, 2, with fiancé Orlando Bloom — added: “I’d like you to flip the script. I think we want to be pulled in by our hearts too. I’d love to see that, and I think America might too.” The music industry appreciated the pro’s comments and promised to take her advice.
Buzaladze has previously been caught up in some American Idol drama. Earlier this month, her duet partner Carina DeAngelo called the contestant out after she skipped rehearsal for their duet of “I Put a Spell on You” in order to sleep. Though Buzaladze made it through to the next round of the competition, Perry advised that the Georgia native have “more grace.”
The following week, Buzaladze addressed DeAngelo’s comments. “I didn’t speak up because I didn’t want to cry on stage. After I left the stage I was just destroyed,” she explained to Perry on April 9. “So I wanted to apologize for that.”
The apology was one the “Dark Horse” singer was more than happy to accept. Clarifying her “more grace” comment from the week prior, Perry noted, “What I meant by grace is that it’s OK to be determined and ambitious and edgy and strong but also with grace. I really relate to you because I know what’s like to be a strong woman … to want to be strong and to never break and feel like nothing can ever get to me but that’s not real.”
Before her onscreen apology, Buzaladze called her quarrel with DeAngelo, 25, the “biggest test of my life” in a lengthy Instagram post. “Frankly, I was mentally destroyed after this performance, even though I tried really hard to stay strong, you probably all noticed how upset I was,” she wrote on April 4.
She went on to explain that prior to the “I Put a Spell on You” performance — after which DeAngelo was eliminated — she had been on a 17-hour flight to Los Angeles, after which she chose to sleep rather than rehearse. “However, once Carina called me, I prepared myself and came back, as soon as I could, to rehearse even more,” the performer added.
Buzaladze ended her message by thanking fans for their support, writing, “I sincerely hope that you will get to know me and my personality better.”
