Katy Perry flounders as Ariel on 'American Idol' Disney Night, falls over in chair: 'Are you okay?'
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Sunday nightâs episode of âAmerican Idolâ was covered in pixie dust.
As part of Disney Night, the top 10 contestants tackled iconic songs from the Walt Disney canon, kicking off the episode with a spirited ensemble performance of âWe Donât Talk About Brunoâ from âEncanto,â which featured appearances from cast members Adassa and Rheny Feliz.
Even the judges got into the Disney spirit, with judge Katy Perry dressing up as Ariel from âThe Little Mermaidâ and Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan wheeling her to the judgesâ table. But Perry may want to reconsider mermaid life, as she fell over in her chair shortly after sitting down.
âAre you okay? Are you all right?â host Ryan Seacrest asked Perry.
Perry playfully shook off the fumble, taking a swig of her drink while the audience chanted her name in support.
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Hereâs what else went down, including âDancing with the Starsâ alum Derek Hough mentoring the contestants in Disneyland for their performances.
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Lady K
Lady K was gunning for redemption with her performance Sunday night. After landing in the bottom two last week, the 25-year-old singerâs confidence was shaken.
âIt was scary,â Lady K told Hough during rehearsal. âI instantly went to, âWhat did I do wrong?â â
Hough reassured a tearful Lady K of her place on the show. âYou deserve to be here,â he said. âYour tears are beautiful.â
Lady K channeled her soulful vocals for a stirring rendition of âHow Far Iâll Goâ from âMoana.â Richie praised Lady K for the progress sheâs made.
âYou look like a star, you sound like a star,â Richie told Lady K. âMore importantly, I want you to know that your growth from that beginning to now is unbelievable.â
Bryan said the performance âvalidatedâ the judgesâ previous decision to save Lady K from elimination: âWeâre so glad we had the opportunity to save you.â
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Noah Thompson
Noah Thompson gave a heartfelt performance of âYouâve Got a Friend in Meâ from âToy Story,â which he dedicated to his friend Arthur, who encouraged him to audition for âIdol.â
âOne of Noahâs greatest strengths is his personality,â Hough said in a prerecorded interview. âIf he can capture that onstage, itâll make America feel like weâre just one of his buddies singing along with him as well.â
Perry loved the way the 19-year-old construction worker reinvented the Disney classic.
âYou gave it so much character and color and country crooning,â Perry told Thompson after his performance. âIt was some of your best vocals ever.â
Bryan chimed in: âIf you can, on the fly, put your little sparkle on that song, the skyâs the limit on what you can do throughout your whole career.â
Emyrson Flora
High schooler Emyrson Flora delivered a sweet performance of âCarried Me With Youâ from âOnward.â Perry said she appreciated how Flora elevated her stage presence for the performance.
âYouâve come so far,â Perry told Flora. âI love when you connect with your body language and your eyes and come out of your shell.â
Richie also noted the 16-year-oldâs growing command of the stage.
âStage presence only comes with experience, so donât worry about it so much,â Richie said. âYour voice and your presence onstage is really top-notch material.â
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HunterGirl
HunterGirl served up an enchanting performance of âI See the Lightâ from âTangled,â earning a standing ovation from the judges.
âIf this is how you sound when going to Disneyland, I recommend going at least once a week,â Perry told HunterGirl after her performance. âYou have never sounded better, held notes in such a spectacular way; you pushed that vocal.â
Bryan said the performance signaled the 23-year-old singerâs potential.
âObviously, you are a country girl from Tennessee, but the elegance and the beauty in that performance, like, I can see award shows in the future where you have the spotlight,â Bryan said.
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Jay
Jay slowed things down with an earnest performance of âRemember Meâ from âCoco.â
Perry gave the 23-year-old medical receptionist props for his captivating showmanship.
âYouâre the only one so far that has really used the stage to their advantage,â Perry told Jay. âWe want the stage to be used up, we want that energy, and you did it.â
Richie complimented the range Jay showed with his performance.
âYou are a star, automatically,â Richie said. âWhat I want you to understand now is how far you will go, not in this competition, but in the career of this music business. That was levels you showed us tonight.â
Leah Marlene
Leah Marlene kept things intimate with a tender performance of âWhen She Loved Meâ from âToy Story 2,â which Bryan called âincredible.â
âYouâre just a great singer,â Bryan told Marlene after her performance. âYouâve yet to hit a bad note in this competition. You always tell the story perfectly, and you just did it with that song.â
Perry also praised Marleneâs narrative singing style.
âYou just really have that storytelling voice, and Iâm just hooked on every single word that you sing,â Perry said.
Nicolina
Nicolina went for a dramatic flair, delivering a campy rendition of âPoor Unfortunate Soulsâ from âThe Little Mermaid.â
âThat was a presentation,â Richie told Nicolina after her performance. âYou scared Katy to death,â he added jokingly, referring to Perry, who was crouched behind the judgesâ table.
Perry was floored by Nicolinaâs performance, saying the 18-year-old college student stole the show.
âThat is how you do it: Thatâs how you do show business,â Perry said. âThat was the best performance of the night so far.â
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Mike Parker
Mike Parker gave a powerhouse performance of âYouâll Be in My Heartâ from âTarzan,â which the 27-year-old carpenter dedicated to his mother, whoâs battling leukemia.
âIf he can connect his personal story in those first few lines, weâre gonna be with him and itâs gonna be a powerful moment,â Hough said in a prerecorded interview.
Perry and Bryan were moved by Parkerâs heartfelt performance. âYou sang that with your mother in your heart, and we could feel every moment of that,â Perry told Parker.
Bryan added: âWhat a tough song to get through and navigate, and you navigated it amazingly.â
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Christian Guardino
Christian Guardino offered a soaring performance of âCircle of Lifeâ from âThe Lion King.â Richie gushed over Guardinoâs unshakeable stage presence.
âTonight, you were standing totally in your light,â Richie told Guardino. âYou actually were shining bright.â
Perry said while she initially had her doubts, the 21-year-old kitchen workerâs rendition was his best performance.
âBefore you started the song, I was like, âOh, this is a whole bit,â and I hope he doesnât overdo it,â Perry said. âIt was perfect.â
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Fritz Hager
Fritz Hager lit up the âIdolâ stage with a passionate performance of âGo the Distanceâ from âHercules.â
Richie praised Hager as the dark horse of the competition.
âYou have always been our surprise package on this show,â Richie told Hager. âTonight, you stepped again into your lightâŠIâm so proud of you.â
Bryan gave the 22-year-old props for the consistency of his performances.
âYou always nail it,â Bryan said. âYou understand the dynamics of taking the song and creating these moments within the songs. Youâre not surprising me anymore.â
Who went home?
After Americaâs votes were counted, Flora, Parker and Lady K were sent home, leaving contestants Leah Marlene, Jay, Noah Thompson, Fritz Hager, HunterGirl, Nicolina and Christian Guardino to advance to the top 7.