Katy Perry Says Part of Her Heart Will ‘Always’ Be With ‘American Idol’ After Her Last Episode

Katy Perry said an emotional goodbye to American Idol after seven seasons as a judge on the show. The Sunday, May 19, season 22 finale was Katy’s last episode and was filled with emotions for the pop star.

During the live show, Katy, 39, took the stage with finalist Jack Blocker, who came in third place. They teamed up for a performance of “What Makes a Woman,” during which the singer wore a dress that featured the faces of 168 Idol contestants from her tenure with the show.

“I thought a good way to honor my time here would be to put the top 24 of each season on my skirt so they were all there,” Katy explained to Entertainment Tonight. “It was a fun surprise because I was raising up [on a platform] and you just saw more and more contestants.”

The outfit she wore for the rest of the show also honored her time as a judge, as the dress featured seven roses for her seven seasons.

The “Roar” hitmaker had some fun with the crowd during the episode, too, as she threw pizza into the audience during a commercial break. “a pizza my heart will always be on the #idol stage,” she wrote on Instagram afterward.

Katy joined the American Idol panel when the show was revived on ABC in 2018. She has sat alongside Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie for all seven seasons. However, ahead of the season 22 premiere in February, she confirmed that she would be stepping away from the job.

“I love the show so much but I wanna go and see the world and maybe bring new music,” she explained, while later adding, “Maybe I’ll come back if they’ll have me one day.”

A replacement for Katy has not been announced, but she has been pushing for season 22 mentor Jelly Roll to take her spot. He also expressed interest in taking the gig, admitting, “I’ve accepted the job and they haven’t [even] offered it!”

However, a source exclusively told Life & Style that Jon Bon Jovi, who mentored the season 22 finalists during the finale, is the “top contender” to step in. “A living legend with undeniable charisma, he possesses all the qualities necessary to command the stage and captivate TV audiences,” the source revealed. “The crux of the matter is money. To secure a true rock icon of his caliber, one must invest accordingly.”