Season 20 of American Idol is already looking like it’s going to be a memorable one – especially as the first episode of the brand new season saw judge Katy Perry storm off the set! We love it when things get heated between the judges, but what actually caused the 37-year-old “Roar” singer’s reaction so early into the singing competition?
The mom-of-one‘s reaction came following the audition of 15-year-old Grace Franklin – i.e., the granddaughter of the late musical legend Aretha Franklin – who performed Lauryn Hill’s “Killing Me Softly” for Perry and the other two judges, Lionel Richie, 72, and Luke Bryan, 45. Although the “Dark Horse” singer gave the teenager a huge “yes” to progress to the next stage of the competition, her fellow judges felt that she wasn’t quite ready, and as a result, their two against one decision put an abrupt end to Franklin’s journey, which understandably caused Perry to storm off in a fit of rage!
Country musician Bryan said Franklin’s audition was “sleepy and subdued,” while Richie said the teenager was “a nervous wreck” during her performance. However, the “Swish Swish” singer disagreed with her fellow judges. “I think you have stardust and sparkle all over you. You are beautiful, and if you’ll trust us, if you’ll listen to us and you’ll put in the work, I think we can find that next level with you. You’re a yes from me,” Perry told Franklin, but the “All Night Long” musician continued to suggest that she might not be ready for the next stage of the competition at this current time.
“I’m going to talk to you as Uncle Richie and your grandma talking to me,” Richie told the young hopeful. “Her line was, ‘If you’re not ready for me, baby, don’t come near me.’ Now, you’re 15, you’ve got the family lineage, OK? What we need to do is put time and some work in to get it up to par. I think the best thing for you in life is to take a shot at going backwards. Go back and get a running start and come at this again.”
Perry once again pleaded with the "Dancing on the Ceiling" singer to "give her a shot; give her a chance," adding, "I'm sure Aretha wasn't Aretha when she walked into the room, but somebody said, 'Yes, I wanna work with you. I wanna develop you.'" However, Perry didn’t get her way on this occasion, and told her fellow judges, "I will lay down on the ground. I quit this show. I'm going to the bar," as she walked away from Richie and Bryan, before exclaiming, "Something wrong with your ears! You all are insane!"
Despite not sending her through to the next stage of the competition, Richie told Franklin that he didn’t want to see her "crash and burn" and said that he was "optimistic" about her future. Will Franklin be back for the next season, or will she make it on her own without the show? Only time will tell!
