“I think you’re trying to grab people’s attention,” the 39-year-old singer told the contestant.
Singing one of the judges’ own songs during an American Idol audition is a risky move.
However, Madaí Chakell had no qualms about singing Katy Perry’s iconic song “I Kissed A Girl” in front of Perry herself on Sunday night’s new episode.
Chakell walked into her audition looking very confident, charming Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan before her handbag on the ground to start the show. She then tore into Perry’s tune — with Katy appearing somewhat stunned and, at times, almost uncomfortable by the performance.
Perry clearly saw something in Chakell’s confidence and voice, but wanted to hear her tackle something simple like “Happy Birthday” with less of the affectations. That turned out to be a better choice — and possibly even a saving grace — for the 22-year-old Idol hopeful.
“I appreciated ‘I Kissed A Girl’, that was wild and colorful. But if you could mix it with what you just did,” Perry told Chakell after she changed her tune.
“I think you’re trying to grab people’s attention. I get it, Doja Cat started with ‘Moo, I’m a cow’, look at her now. So you want to grab it and you want to hold it. That’s what I did with ‘I Kissed A Girl’,” Perry advised.
The singer then received a “yes” from both Richie and Perry, earning her a coveted Golden Ticket.
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The long-time judge won’t have to hear anymore auditions for a while, as Perry recently announced her exit from the reality competition series on Jimmy Kimmel Live!
“I think this will probably be my last season for Idol,” the 39-year-old singer revealed.
“I love Idol so much,” she said, as the crowd audibly gasped. “It’s connected me with the heart of America. But I need to feel that pulse to my own beat.”
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Kimmel’s follow-up was to ask what Richie and Bryan thought about the big change, to which Perry shot back, “Well, they’ll find out tonight!”
She went on to add, “They know I have some things planned for this year. It’s going to be a very exciting year … for all pop star girlies. I’ve been in the studio for a while.”
“I wanna go and see the world, and maybe bring new music,” she added.
Season 22 of American Idol continues Sunday nights on ABC.