Katy Perry bursts into tears as 'American Idol' contestant meets her birth family for the first time
Katy Perry's seven-season tenure as a judge of 'American Idol' has to be one of the most talked about aspects of the singing reality show. Renowned for her powerful voice, the 'Roar' singer brought both star power and emotional depth to the judging panel, where she often experienced vulnerable moments and let go of her tears. In one such moving instance, Perry couldn't hold back her tears when a contestant met her birth family for the first time.
In the 'American Idol' Season 22 premiere, Perry was visibly moved when 25-year-old contestant McKenna Breinholt shared her deeply personal story, as per the New York Post. Before her performance, Breinholt shared with the judges that she was adopted after her parents struggled with infertility. Although she didn't know her biological background for years, she expressed deep gratitude for her adoptive family, calling them the best and highlighting their constant support. At 21, Breinholt learned from her adoptive parents that her musical talent came from her late biological mother, Amy Ross Lopez, a member of the band 'Nowhere Man and a Whiskey Girl.'
She further revealed, "I contacted my biological family over FaceTime last summer, and we're planning to meet soon." What she didn't know was that the meeting would happen much sooner than expected. After delivering a moving performance of "There Was Jesus," the judges were visibly impressed. Perry then prompted her, saying, "Why don't you go ahead and bring your family in while we make the final decision?" When Breinholt opened the door, she gasped in shock as not only was her adoptive family there but also her biological aunts and uncles, making for an emotional surprise reunion.
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Judge Luke Bryan mumbled, “What happened here?” while Perry and Lionel Richie looked on, visibly stunned. "They're here," Breinholt said in disbelief. "My birth family is here!" she exclaimed. Perry, clearly moved, closed her eyes and tried not to cry. "Is she crying?" Breinholt asked. "No, I'm not crying. You're crying," Perry replied with a watery smile. As the room filled with emotion, Perry gently directed, "Lopezes on the right, Breinholts on the left." Then she asked, "Do you know any of your mom's songs? You could play it for them."
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"Tissue on 'Idol' set," Bryan said as Breinholt began performing her mother’s song "Tumbleweed." The haunting performance brought everyone to tears, with her grandmother whispering, "It's like a ghost," when asked if the song sounded familiar. Perry then summed it all up with heartfelt words as she said, "So beautiful. Look, music is a connection. Music is emotion. Music is heart. You're not the only person out there who's searching for their birth family. There are hundreds and thousands and tens of thousands that are watching this right now that are going, 'Oh! Me too, me too!' You know?"
The Grammy winner further added, "And it's wonderful to have them all together. And it's so wonderful for your mom and dad to see this and to be so open and loving and supportive about this. I'm sure there was a big loss for your birth family. And for you to sing like that, I think it's healing." For the unversed, Perry announced her exit from 'American Idol' during a February 2024 appearance on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' confirming that Season 22 would be her last, as per People. “I mean, I love Idol so much,” she told Jimmy Kimmel. “It’s connected me with the heart of America, but I feel like I need to go out and feel that pulse to my own beat.”