Here’s Why Katy Perry Broke Down In Tears In Extremely Emotional ‘American Idol’ Moment

Katy Perry became visibly emotional during a candid moment on the latest installment of American Idol. The judge – who sits alongside Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie on the judging panel of the ABC singing competition – couldn’t seem to hold back the tears during the April 14 episode, breaking down in tears as contestant Jeremiah Lloyd Harmon performed.

Katy began crying after the hopeful belted out the song “We All Fall in Love Sometimes” by Elton John, as reported by Entertainment Tonight Canada. Harmon’s emotional performance came after he previously told the story of how he felt unaccepted by his Christian family after coming out as gay.

After he took to the stage to perform the 1975 hit, Perry – who grew up in a devout Christian family with parents who are Pentecostal pastors – broke down in tears and told the contestant how “proud” she was of him.

“I’m a mess. I’m just so proud I’m just so glad, because you’re such a gift,” Katy told Jeremiah as she wiped away the tears from her eyes with a tissue, pausing to compose herself as she gave her thoughts following the performance.

“You’re a light to the world. Your story is everything, and your talent, it just like, supersedes all, and just, I mean, I’m so proud of you,” she then added, while her fellow American Idol judges Bryan and Richie attempted to comfort her.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uU65DaaoUKQ

Luke then admitted that seeing Katy crying had made him a “mess,” before Lionel jokingly asked him not to start crying too.

Perry previously spoke about the connection she felt to Jeremiah on the show because of their similar family backgrounds growing up in very religious households.

“You’re a pastor’s kid, I’m a pastor’s kid, we have a lot in common. I don’t know about you, but for me I felt like I was always being watched… and then I started to find my true voice,” the “California Gurls” singer told the contestant earlier this season, per Entertainment Tonight.

Perry then revealed how her parents responded after she dropped her first big pop single “I Kissed a Girl” more than a decade ago back in 2008. The song was released after she initially tried to pursue a career in gospel music when she first started out as a singer.

“Can you imagine when my first single was ‘I Kissed a Girl’ and how my parents reacted?” she asked of the song that shot her to super-stardom. Perry added that things became very “difficult” for her after she first released the song because she “felt very alone in what is supposed to be a really exciting time in my life.”

The star – who got engaged to fiancé Orlando Bloom earlier this year – then got candid about the relationship she has with her mom and dad now as she spoke openly with the contestant, admitting that it has “taken some time” for them to get to a good place with one another. Katy then added that they’ve now “all come around to agree to disagree.”

This year’s performers appear to be making a habit of getting the judges crying. As The Inquisitr reported at the time, last month it was Lionel who was in tears after witnessing blind singer Shayy Winn’s audition.