"Not Katy being shady": American Idol fans slam judge Katy Perry for her comments towards Sara Beth

Popular reality competition series American Idol season 21 aired a brand new episode on Sunday, March 5, 2023, at 8 pm ET on ABC. It documented a new set of contestants in the third round of auditions, performing in front of judges and viewers in hopes of impressing them and gaining a golden ticket to advance to the Hollywood Week of the competition.

On this week's episode of American Idol, Katy Perry wasn't initially satisifed with 25-year-old Sara Beth's audition. She felt that the performance didn't make it seem like it was the contestant's "dream." Several of Katy's comments throughout the audition didn't sit well with viewers. One tweeted:

The hit ABC series has been extremely well-received by the audience. The season has barely begun, but viewers have already picked their favorites. The contestants have to perform in front of the legendary judging trio - pop princess Katy Perry, country superstar Luke Bryan, and Oscar-winning singer/songwriter Lionel Richie.

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Sara Beth performs in front of judges on American Idol

Tonight's episode of American Idol began with the judges welcoming the contestants for the third round of auditions with a marching band. After the pomp and grandeur, it was time to get down to the contestants, who had to perform their best in front of the judges.

An extremely nervous Sara Beth entered the audition room. She revealed herself to be a 25-year-old from California, and a mother to three young children. The judges were in disbelief, with Katy even standing up shaken. The judge then said:

"Honey, you've been laying on the table too much."

Ahead of her audition on American Idol, Sara reflected on her journey. The singer revealed that she married young but expressed her gratitude for being able to spend most of her time with her three kids. She said that pursuing music for her has only been a dream for the past six months as she took up singing after people encouraged her to do something with her voice.

Sara was seemingly very nervous while answering the judges' questions. She even called Lionel "dude," and nervously apologized before calling him "sir." Katy then asked the contestant:

"Is this your dream? Is it now? If it's not your dream, you might need to leave coz there's a lot of dreams behind you."

The American Idol contestant, however, confessed to still processing her feelings. She then performed You Know I'm No Good by Amy Winehouse. Katy, however, wasn't satisfied with the performance and asked Sara to go with her initial song choice. The judge said:

"It's not your dream yet. Show us what your voice can do. Take it to the limit. No looking back. Sing it like it's your new dream."

Sara then performed Elton John's Bennie and the Jets. Luke was impressed with her singing skills. Katy, however, said:

"Look if its not your dream, then it's not gonna go far. I also respect everyone that's walking through that door who would lay down their life for this golden ticket, you know?"

Lionel then told the American Idol contestant that her performance shouldn't look like a "gimmick," and that there was an artist that needed to come out of her. His answer to sending her forward was a "no." Luke and Katy, however, said "yes," letting Sara leave with a golden ticket to advance to Hollywood Week.

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Fans slam Katy Perry for her comments towards Sara Beth on American Idol

Fans took to social media to express their disappointment about Katy Perry's comments towards the contestant. Check out what they have to say.

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Season 21 of American Idol has seen a huge amount of talent in the form of singers and musicians. As the season progresses, viewers will get to witness more talent and competition, leaving them stunned. Fans will have to stay tuned to find out what's more in store for them.

Don't forget to tune in to a brand new episode of American Idol next Sunday, March 12, 2023, at 8 pm ET on ABC.