‘American Idol’ judge gets a little flirty with this ‘Bachelor’ alum — right in front of his daughter
From controversy over her Blue Origin spaceflight to breaking off her engagement with Orlando Bloom, 2025 is shaping up to be a rough year for Katy Perry. In the wake of her ongoing controversies, let's recall the time when the 'Dark Horse' singer had a flirtatious exchange on 'American Idol.' The singer can be seen openly sharing sweet words with a contestant's father, who himself was a reality star, making for a classic Perry moment on 'American Idol.'
The father in discussion is 'The Bachelor' alum Juan Pablo Galavis, who made a surprise appearance on the March 2024 episode of 'American Idol' by crashing his daughter, Camila's, audition. Galavis' unexpected cameo left the judges stunned, especially Perry, who shared a flirty talk with the former reality star. During the introductions, Perry asked Camila if she came from a "musical family," to which she replied, "No," then added, "My dad is a manager in the social media industry because he was on The Bachelor."
Lionel Richie looked surprised, prompting Perry to ask curiously, "The TV show? On ABC? Who is your dad?" per The US Sun. Camila proudly answered, "Juan Pablo Galavis." Perry repeated the name, intrigued, as she said, "Did your dad meet someone on the show?" Camila clarified, "He met someone, but they later broke up." For the unversed, Juan had chosen Nikki Ferrell on 'The Bachelor, but they ended their relationship in October 2014. Coming back to Perry, she then asked, "So he's single?" to which Camila replied with a smile, "Yeah." Familiar with 'The Bachelor' star, Luke Bryan chimed in, saying, "He's dreamy."
Later, Galavis joined Camila on stage. While shaking his hand, Perry repeated her earlier question, asking, "You're single?" As Galavis leaned down to kiss Perry on the cheek, he teasingly asked, "You too?" He quickly followed up with, "No, I know you're not." Fans took to the comment section of the YouTube video to express their opinions about the two, as one commented, "Missed opportunity for Juan Pablo to ask Katy to accept this rose," while another added, "Katie gave a yes to the girl because she wanted the bachelor’s number." Another fan noted, "Katy only said yes because she wants to hit on Juan again."
Galavis also admitted to the judges that he was initially hesitant about Camila auditioning. "The opportunity came, and she wanted to do it," he explained. "And I say, 'I don't know if you're old enough.' That was last year. I'd say, 'Well, maybe next year.' And then, here she is. So, we'll see how it goes." Camila then performed Joaquina's 'Rabia' and received mixed reactions, according to E! Online.
The judges had mixed reactions to Camila's performance, as Perry appreciated her personality and vocal potential but felt her voice still sounded young. Bryan echoed the same sentiments, praising her confidence but expressing concern about her ability to hit stronger notes and compete at the show’s level. Richie felt she could succeed with the right producer but might struggle in the competition and voted no. Perry voted yes, and the final decision fell to Bryan. Although hesitant at first, Bryan changed his mind and gave her a yes, allowing Camila to advance.