Katy Perry's top falling off on ‘American Idol’ was embarrassing but Luke Bryan's remark made it worse

Katy Perry was once forced to cover up with a pillow after suffering an embarrassing wardrobe malfunction on live TV
PUBLISHED MAR 7, 2025
Katy Perry and Luke Bryan in a screenshot from 'American Idol' (Cover Image Source: Instagram | Katy Perry)
Katy Perry and Luke Bryan in a screenshot from 'American Idol' (Cover Image Source: Instagram | Katy Perry)

From sharing fun moments with contestants to making playful moves on stage, Katy Perry’s time on 'American Idol' was packed with energy and spontaneity. Famous for her quirky antics and bold fashion choices, she always kept viewers entertained. However, she once faced an unexpected wardrobe malfunction when her Kate Barton silver metallic top didn’t stay in place for the entire broadcast. But in true Katy Perry fashion, she handled it with grace—turning the mishap into a joke and owning the moment with confidence.


 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by KATY PERRY (@katyperry)


 

During American Idol’s live Top 14 show on April 15, 2024, an unexpected moment stole the spotlight, according to On Air with Ryan Seacrest. While applauding Roman Collins’s powerful performance of 'It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World', Perry revealed that her top had busted mid-show. “That song broke my top off,” she joked, quickly grabbing a pillow to cover up before adding, “I guess it is a woman’s world.” Her co-judge Luke Bryan couldn't resist chiming in, exclaiming, “Ratings! Here we come, ratings!” 



 

However, Perry later took to Instagram to share a behind-the-scenes clip of Bryan using pliers to fix her top while she held a pillow to her chest, humorously reminding fans that 'American Idol' is a “family show.” Perry took the wardrobe malfunction in stride, laughing off the live TV moment. Speaking with E! Online, she joked, “It seems like every season, something falls off, breaks, tears, and the people love it.” Embracing the unexpected, she added, “So give the people what they want.” Reflecting on her upcoming departure from American Idol, she quipped, “I have nothing to lose, besides my top.”

Katy Perry during Paris Fashion Week - Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2021/2022, on July 05, 2021 in Paris, France.  (Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Photo By Edward Berthelot)
Katy Perry during Paris Fashion Week - Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2021/2022, on July 05, 2021 in Paris, France. (Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Photo By Edward Berthelot)

Bryan also joked about Perry’s wardrobe mishap after the live show, telling Entertainment Tonight’s Denny Directo, "Tonight, her top flies off, almost flies off. At this point in the game, I'm like, 'What do you need? What do you need? Do you need a pair of pliers? You need a towel? A bathrobe? What do you need?'" However, fellow judge Lionel Richie playfully blamed Bryan for Perry’s wardrobe mishap, saying, "Luke knocked the top off; I'll tell you all the truth." He added, "And then Luke spent the rest of the time going, 'I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry.' But he was definitely apologetic and then he tried to put it back together and that looked worse than the whole thing."



 

Perry then went on to clarify the incident, labeling it "a moment for television." She joked about Bryan’s role in the slip, saying, "Yeah, he's always setting me up." Dismissing it as a true malfunction, she added, "It wasn't really a malfunction. It was just a moment for television. Every season it seems I rip my pants…. I think it's the physical comedy, the physical expression side of me that just wants to burst at the seams." Now, as Perry has bids farewell to 'American Idol,' the show is all set to mark its comeback with Season 23, where Carrie Underwood will replace the 'The One That Got Away' singer.

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