‘American Idol’ judges broke rules to save a drag artist — and it might’ve been their boldest move yet
Reality television shows are packed with surprising twists and turns! During an April 2018 episode of 'American Idol', the esteemed judging panel consisting of Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan made a shocking move that even left the ABC singing show's host, Ryan Seacrest, speechless. In this particular episode, drag queen Ada Vox didn't receive enough votes from the audience to advance to the next round of the beloved singing competition. However, Vox was given another golden chance to redeem herself. Yes, you heard that right! The judges had the power to save four contestants who were not voted through.
Then, the judges, who were deeply moved by Vox's performance, had the option to either save or send her home. As per People magazine, Perry told the budding singer, “I don’t know everything. But I think we do know talent when we see it.” The three judges didn't wait for any directions from Seacrest and mixed things up. They stated that Vox deserved a spot in the Top 10, and she belonged where the contestants were seated.
After the show, Perry shed light on the judges' bold move of saving Vox by saying, "When the Ada moment came, it wasn’t just one person’s idea. We all looked at each other, and we saw the math … excuse us, we’re going to step in now. Were we allowed to do that? We found out we were.” On the other hand, Richie chimed in, “We messed up the timetable a bit, but you know what it was, we felt so strongly about it, we didn’t have to wait for that vote." Perry further elaborated, “Enough was enough, and you put your foot down when it’s real. We stand for truth and for justice.”
In a separate interview with People magazine, Vox, who has been auditioning for 'American Idol' since the age of 16, spilled the beans on her journey and said, “It’s been quite a journey. If I had come back this time around and received this much hatred and hadn’t grown the way that I have, I could’ve been in some big trouble. But I’ve come a long way in the development of myself and as an entertainer. I have a much bigger skin this time around. I’m not afraid to hear the hate. It can bounce off of me, and I can use it to build myself up.”
Vox, who is well-known as Adam Sanders when not in drag, further added, "Mr. Adam is the base of everything that I am. That’s just who I am and what I do every day of my life. Ms. Ada is kinda of the outer exterior, is a personification of the diva in Adam.” In the same interview, Vox stated that being on 'American Idol' has been a dream come true for her. “This has been my dream since I was a boy. It was one of those things that I was never able to let go of many great things are going to come regardless of the outcome, and I’m excited for the future that’s to come. It’s only up from here!” Vox explained.