When Katy Perry Was Booed by the 'American Idol' Audience for Criticizing a Contestant's Outfit

Editor's note: This article was originally published on April 28, 2023. It has since been updated.

Katy Perry came under fire once again, this time for criticizing season 21 contestant Nutsa Buzaladze’s outfit choice. Buzaladze was one of the top 26 contestants who performed Grace Potter and the Nocturnals' Paris (Ooh La La) in a shimmery silver dress and matching glittery boots.

The Harleys in Hawaii songstress, who judges the popular singing reality show American Idol alongside Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie, told Buzaladze that she needed to lay off her signature sparkly style. "Nutsa, every time you take the stage it's like you glitter bomb the stage," Perry said. "Listen, one thing that I would like to see from you is not one piece of glitter the next time. I know that is going to be hard."

The live audience present at Disney’s Aulani Resort in Hawaii let out loud boos instantly against the Dark Horse diva. The other two celebrity judges, Richie, 73, and Bryan, 46, both stood up, shocked at the audience's quick reaction. "Katy got booed!" Bryan exclaimed. "First time in six seasons," Perry, 38, responded on being mocked. "What I'm saying is that I'd like you to flip the script. I think we want to be pulled in by our hearts, too. I'd love to see that and America might too." Meanwhile, defending her choice of outfit, Buzaladze said, "Liner, maybe. Just the glitter eyeliner," replying to the feedback.  

However, this is not the first time Perry has received backlash for her stark comments. Fans previously accused her of making contestants, including Nutsa, go through 'psychological warfare' by making them believe that they are about to go home and didn't make it to the show's top 26. Many contestants took the words to heart and got emotional until Perry revealed that they were moving on to the next round. According to the NY Post, she was also ridiculed for mom-shaming 25-year-old contestant Sara Beth Liebe during her audition. Perry then tried to redeem herself by begging Liebe not to leave the competition to return to her family but failed. 

Apparently, during the audition, Liebe told Perry, Bryan, and Richie that she was 25 and had three children. While all three judges were surprised by the revelation, the Hot n Cold singer, who shares daughter Daisy, 2, with fiancé Orlando Bloom, stood up and walked behind the table as Bryan began fanning her. "If Katy lays on the table, I think I'm going to pass out," Liebe said, to which the mom of one replied, "Honey, you've been laying on the table too much." Perry’s comments garnered heavy criticism from fans of the reality show. 

Liebe then took to TikTok to share her feelings about the moment. "It was embarrassing to have that on TV, and it was hurtful," she said in the clip from March 8. "I think that women supporting and uplifting other women is so cool and I think that mom-shaming is super lame and I think that it's hard enough to be a mom and it's hard enough to be a woman." Liebe ended her emotional video with an appeal to young moms to "keep loving your babies" despite what people say.