Katy Perry said goodbye to American Idol and got her much-awaited tribute after seven seasons on Sunday night’s live finale.
As a tribute to the singer, the ladies of the top 12 performed a medley of Perry’s hits, including “Teenage Dream,” “Dark Horse” and “California Gurls.”
Perry, who was eating a slice of pizza when the performance began, jumped onto the judges’ table at the end of the performance and gave a strong-arms salute.
She also performed “What Makes a Woman” alongside competitor Jack Blocker during the three-hour finale.
At the end of the show, Abi Carter was named the winner of Season 22. She performed “What Was I Made For?” from the Barbie movie, during which Perry could be seen getting emotional.
Perry had been a judge on American Idol alongside Richie and Bryan since the show was revived by ABC in 2018.
She had already announced that she would be leaving the show in February.
Appearing on an episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Perry was asked by host Jimmy Kimmel how long she was likely to continue with Idol.
“Well, you know, this fall, this September, I’m going to be doing this huge music festival in Brazil called Rock in Rio. It’s really exciting. It’s a big deal for people all over the world, especially my Brazilian fans,” Perry said, adding, “So I think this will probably be my last season for Idol.”
Following a few gasps from the audience, Perry continued: “I love Idol so much. It’s connected me with the heart of America. But I need to feel that pulse of my own beat.”
