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‘American Idol’ judges in tears as singer honors late finalist Willie Spence with their shared song

'American Idol' contestant's tribute to late singer moved the judges to tears. "We also feel connected," judge Katy Perry said.

‘American Idol’ auditions rarely bring the judges to tears, but Kya Monée’s was an exception. The contestant auditioned for season 21 with an emotional song dedicated to late contestant Willie Spence. Monée's performance felt straight from her heart and tugged at the judges’ heartstrings. The season’s judges’ panel included Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie, and all of them teared up by the end of her performance. “He was actually supposed to be here with me today for my audition. It is very hard not to have that support anymore,” the contestant said about Spence before her performance.

She further revealed that her song of choice for the audition was ‘I’m Here’ from ‘The Color Purple,’ a song she and Spence picked together. Monée’s tribute not only showcased her powerful vocals but also the pain she felt about losing a friend. She even choked up in the middle of her performance and took a breather before starting again. The judges gave a standing ovation after Monée flawlessly pulled a high note in the end.

Richie pulled out a handkerchief to wipe his tears, then brought another one for the contestant. “I was anticipating this, so I brought two,” he said while giving her the cloth. “That performance was so emotional, so heartfelt, so divinely guided in the glorious name of our dear brother Willie,” the judge gushed. He thanked her for gracing them with her performance. “What a tribute to him,” Bryan told the contestant. “I’ve lost some people in my life, and when you go to sing, you sing like Willie’s still here,” he added. Perry also had nothing but praise for the heartbreaking performance.

The ‘Roar’ singer felt that Monée's singing was connected to the pain and loss that she and everybody else in the room understood. “We also feel connected together because you are authentic, just like he was,” Perry added. Monée was also selected in season 19 but was eliminated in the live shows. However, during her time on the show, she developed a bond with fellow contestant Spence. The latter, who became the first runner-up that season, met his untimely demise in a tragic car accident.

“We grew a very, very close friendship…Losing Willie was just very, very hard for me,” Monée said in an episode, as per Billboard. “He passed in a tragic car accident and I’m still trying to cope with that,” she added at the time. She revealed that Spence wanted her to always pursue singing, chase her dreams, and go back to audition for ‘American Idol.’ She admitted that Spence made her want to participate in the singing competition again. “I’d really love to make it further. But most of all, I wanna make Willie proud,” she added.