Ex-American Idol singer slams Katy Perry’s new song: "This can’t be same person that eliminated me"
Katy Perry’s new song 'OK', from her just-released deluxe album ‘1432’, is going viral online but not for the right reasons. Former ‘American Idol’ contestant Steven James, who competed on Season 17 of the show, hopped on TikTok to rip the track, and his video has quickly gone viral. Steven James, whom Katy Perry herself axed off the competition, didn’t pass on the chance to share what he thought of her music. The TikTok clip has Steven playing a snippet of 'OK' in the background, his expression changing as the song progresses, almost as if he’s mocking the singer. He jokingly wrote on-screen, “This can’t be the same person who eliminated me on 'American Idol' 5 years ago.”
That video just picked up, with fans weighing in left and right in agreement. One person joked, “Sounds like a theme song of a PBS kids show.” Another said, “This song will do numbers on the target playlist.” “Sounds like a Disney Channel theme song,” added one commenter. Others pointed out that despite its simplicity, the song had multiple writers, leading one commenter to say, “And it required multiple writers.”
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Not all of them were haters, though, and some came to Katy’s defense. Supporters claimed she is still a powerhouse in the music industry, with one commenter writing, “No way we're hating on Katy Perry as if she didn't drop the best album ever when we were kids.” Another one added, “I just listened to your music and definitely I pick Katy ??” James, who competed on Season 17 of the popular ABC singing competition in 2019, during Katy Perry’s second year as a judge.
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Katy Perry, however, has been in trouble several times for her behavior as a judge on ‘American Idol’ during her seven-season run. Viewers and fans have often criticized her for being too harsh and sometimes rude to contestants, especially young performers or female singers. For instance, in Season 21, she made waves at auditions with some jokes over a contestant’s personal story that felt to some as rude. Other instances included her even ‘mom-shaming’ a contestant on the show.
Notwithstanding the controversies during her time as a judge, Perry’s exit from ‘American Idol’ signaled the end of an era. The pop superstar announced in February 2024 that she was quitting the show after seven seasons to focus on her music. When she appeared on ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ in February 2024, she said, “I love Idol so much. It’s connected me with the heart of America. But I need to feel the pulse of my own beat.” However, Katy explained that it was time for her to step away and focus on her own music and creative pursuits.
But not just ‘OK’, Katy’s entire album ‘143’ turned out to be just a disaster for her. Fans in general complained about the final product as if it were just shallow and unimaginative. With such criticism, Katy thought the album was simply a fun record. She described how although some moments in just a few songs were inspiring her - like when her child came into the world, the main reason for the album was that it was light-hearted. “But the world has got a lot of deep, intense things going on and there’s a lot of intense things going on in the world,” Katy told in an interview with Audacy.
“Sometimes I think, when it comes to entertainment, there can be the opposite of that going on, and it can be helpful because you do need sometimes to let a little bit of the pressure off the pipes,” she added. She also encouraged listeners to use the album as a way to relax. “Go for a hike and listen to this. Grab yourself your favorite beverage, go for a hike, share some headphones with a friend, and let's rage like a throwback,” she said, pointing out that the record is less about deep artistic statements and more about fun and movement.
