Ending her judge’s panel days on American Idol in a big way, Katy Perry took to the stage wearing a jaw-dropping gown featuring the faces of 168 Idol contestants during her final show performance.
While performing with third-place contestant Jack Blocker, Perry wowed the audience as she “soared” above the stage and expanded her gown to reveal all the faces of Idol contestants who she met during her seven-season run on the show.
The pop star shared a couple of photos of the dress on Instagram. “There it is,” she wrote in the post’s caption. “7 years.”
Speaking about the gown during the American Idol season 22 finale aftershow, Katy Perry told Entertainment Tonight, “I thought a good way to honor my time here would be to put the top 24 of each season on my skirt so they were all there. It was a fun surprise because I was raising up and you just saw more and more contestants.”
Perry also opened up about how she felt following her final Idol episode. “I’m a little tired because I’ve been crying all night,” she admitted. “But I just so proud, so happy.”
Katy Perry then shared her thoughts about Abi Carter being dubbed the winner of her final American Idol season. “It feels like a cheery on top that Abi got to win,” Perry declared. “Just because it’s been a while since, you know, a while since a female won.”
Katy Perry announced she was departing from American Idol earlier this year, making season 22 her last. This fall, in September, I’m going to be doing this huge music festival in Brazil called Rock in Rio… so I think this will probably be my last season for ‘Idol,’” she explained.
Perry also said that she loved Idol so much. “It’s connected me with the heart of America, but I need to feel that pulse of my own beat.”
Katy Perry Says ‘American Idol’ Left Her Feeling ‘Really Close’ To Her Country
While continuing to speak to Entertainment Tonight, Katy Perry said her American Idol days left her feeling “really close” to her country.
“I believe in the American Dream,” she said. “I think this show, it’s like one of the last standing examples of a united front, American Dream, people coming from all places, all different beliefs, coming together.”
She then shared what was the first thing that made her during the finale. She noted it was when fellow judge Lionel Richie told her he’d miss her.
“That’s the first time I lost it,” Katy Perry declared. “But then I ordered pizza during the show and that helped.”
In regards to who she thought of to replace her on the judge’s panel, Katy Perry didn’t give any names, just qualities.
“I hope it’s someone fearless. I hope it’s someone that doesn’t mince their words, maybe someone a little polarizing just like myself,” Perry added. “There’s a lot of people that’s like, ‘She’s awful! She should go!’ And there’s a lot of people that are like, ‘She speaks her mind! She’s authentic!’ Whatever, you can’t win ’em all. I think it’s actually better not to win ’em all because that means you actually have a point of view.”