Madai Chakell boldly took on Katy Perry’s “I Kissed A Girl” during Sᴜnday’s American Idol episode, but the pop star, serving as a jᴜdge, did not appreciate the rendition.
Despite confᴜsion from the 39-year-old singer, Madai, a 22-year-old from Massachusetts, delivered the 2008 debut single with theatrical flair.
After the performance, Katy commented, “All that and a bag of chips,” expressing her dissatisfaction. She then challenged Madai to sing “Happy Birthday” without theatrics, emphasizing more on vocals. Madai’s second performance, a simpler rendition, showcased her vocal range, earning approval from Katy, who had been impressed by Hailey Mia’s cover of her Һit
song earlier in the season.
Katy suggested combining the wild and colorful elements of “I Kissed a Girl” with the stripped-down approach, stating, “It is so fun when you can strip it all down… I appreciated ‘I Kissed a Girl.’ That was, like, wild and colorful. But if you could mix it with what you just did…”
Madai, expressing versatility, mentioned her R&B background and willingness to switch styles, including offering a nod to her theatrical and classical roots. Lionel Richie encouraged her to be in control of all the characters, while Luke Bryan suggested she was still a year or two away from perfecting herself as an individual artist.
Despite the mixed feedback, Katy and Lionel voted yes to send Madai to Hollywood, while Luke voted no. Before receiving her golden ticket, Luke challenged Madai to prove him wrong, to which she promised she would.
The episode also featured other successful auditions, including performances by Max Dasher, Laela Dasher, Scarlett Lee, Nick Connors, Jennifer Jeffries, Kimi, Aniston Pate, CJ Rislove, Kyra Waites, and Will Moseley, who all secured tickets to Hollywood.
The episode ended with the announcement that Katy Perry’s current season on American Idol would be her last, with the show set to return on March 17 on ABC. Katy had revealed her departure during a previous appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live on ABC.