'American Idol': Alyssa Raghu sings daring Katy Perry cover – in front of Katy Perry

Alyssa Raghu brought "sing for your life" to a whole new level during Monday's "American Idol." 

Following Sunday's first live show, the 17-year-old Orlando native did not receive enough votes to guarantee a spot in the Top 10. But she still had an opportunity to save herself by singing one more song for the judges, and took a major swing by picking Katy Perry's own 2010 hit "The One That Got Away." 

Raghu belted her way through the soaring breakup ballad – enough to impress Perry, who chose to save her in the final moments of the episode. 

"First of all, how dare you?" Perry joked after hearing the teen's tearful, husky-voiced rendition. "How dare you come out and sing that song 100 times better than me? Alyssa, that was so beautiful and you have just grown into a gorgeous young girl."

Perry then offered some vaguely helpful advice to Raghu, who was previously eliminated from the singing competition last season after making it to the Top 24. 

"I think this has been a really important master class; it's like the second semester," Perry said. "I think you've learned so much and you've got so much time, and I just think that it's gonna happen if you keep applying yourself the way you keep applying." 

Along with Raghu, the judges chose two more contestants with low numbers of votes to continue on in the Top 10. Lionel Richie saved Uche after his thrilling take on Rihanna's "Diamonds," and Luke Bryan rescued Dimitrius Graham, whose emotional cover of Billie Eilish's "When the Party's Over" was an episode highlight. 

Top 14 finalists Eddie Island, Evelyn Cormier, Riley Thompson and Ashley Hess were eliminated from "Idol" Monday. The show continues next Sunday (ABC, 8 EDT/PDT) with another live show that will help determine the Top 8.