On Sunday night ( May 19 ), she ended her seven-year run in style by singing, table dancing, and throwing her pizza tossing her way off the stage during the three-hour season 22 finale. The episode was intended to honor this year’s winner, which it did, spoiler alert, in singer Abi Carter, but it also served as a night to remember Perry, who earlier this year announced she would return after serving alongside Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan since the show expanded to ABC in 2018 ( spoiler alert ).
In a bible to Perry’s up- for- something attitude, Idol ran a clip package late- way through Sunday’s show featuring highlights from her usually wild- and- bizarre run. Perry looked happy and personal as the final hour passed, from Bryan’s jump scare to Perry visiting Luke’s land for a lesson on wheat science, crying with contestants, modeling a series of exceedingly ridiculous outfits, and getting ice cream smooshed on her face by her cohorts.
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Just before the last votes were read, Perry, 39, took to the stage one last time to do” What Makes a Lady” from her 2020 album Smiling with champion Jack Blocker. As Blocker sang the next verse, Perry began to rise up as she was seated while sporting what appeared to be a silver bustier, revealing an broad dress decorated with the eyes of Idol contestants who had previously appeared on the show during her work. Perry’s clothing was the best sustained representation of the band’s special embrace of her Idol era, flying high above the stage as paper butterflies rained down all around her.
” 143, I love you”, Perry said as she held up heart hands. Later in the show, as Katy munched on a slice of pizza, the women of the top 12 performed a medley of Perry’s songs, including” Teenage Dream”,” Dark Horse” and” California Gurls”. As Bryan pelted her with beach balls, Perry jumped to her feet and leaned up on the judge’s desk, flexing her arms.
With the sand running out following Carter’s coronation, Perry let the tears flow freely as this year’s winner sang Billie Eilish’s Oscar- winning” What Was I Made For”? to wrap up her successful golden season 22 run, Richie and Katy shared a final, long hug as confetti poured down on them.
Idol has been renewed for a 23rd season, but at press time Perry’s replacement had not yet been announced.
Check out images from Perry’s final night below.