Katy Perry’s Final Moment On ‘American Idol’ Is A Crying Feel-Fest

The singer of “Firework” released the waterworks Sunday during her final appearance as a judge on “American Idol.” (Watch the video below.)

Katy Perry welled up numerous times in the finale but reportedly did not address the audience directly in her farewell episode.

Perhaps that was to avoid stealing the thunder of this season’s winner, Abi Carter. But Perry’s emotion at the last minute said it all.

As Carter performed a victory lap song, “What Was I Made For?” the camera cut to Perry’s face. Then the confetti fell as did more tears from the longtime panelist, whose momentsat the judges’ table often became news over the years.

Perry and fellow judge Lionel Richie hugged, and panelist Luke Bryan joined them as they put their arms around each other while the credits rolled.

The trio had been a team since 2018, when the show jumped from Fox to ABC. But no longer.

“Thank you to Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie and the always incredible Katy Perry,” host Ryan Seacrest said.

On X, Perry wrote, “there it is… 7 years,” with a sad-faced emoji.

She also took time to pun as well. “A pizza my heart will always be on the <a href=«https://x.com/hashtag/idol?src=hashtag_click» role=«link» class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name="#idol" data-vars-item-type=«text» data-vars-unit-name=«664b2c64e4b0e81de1246587» data-vars-unit-type=«buzz_body» data-vars-target-content-id=«https://x.com/hashtag/idol?src=» https: data-vars-target-content-type=«url» data-vars-type=«web_external_link» data-vars-subunit-name=«article_body» data-vars-subunit-type=«component» data-vars-position-in-subunit=«10»>#idol

stage,” she quipped with a video of her throwing a pepperoni slice into the crowd.

The pop star, who announced her departure from