Katy Perry Breaks Down After American Idol Performer Reveals Emotional School Shooting Story: ‘Our Country Has F**king Failed Us!’

[Warning: Potentially Triggering Content]

Katy Perry has something to say.

During a Sunday night episode of American Idol, 21-year-old Trey Louis, a mattress salesman from Santa Fe, Texas, sang a beautiful and soulful rendition of Stone by Whiskey Myers. However, it was after the performance that the real emotions came through.

Judge Luke Bryan gently asked the young man, “why are you doing Idol?” before Trey revealed his sad, and very real truth:

“I’m from Santa Fe, Texas and in May 2018, a gunman walked into my school. I was in Art Room 1 and he shot up Art Room 2 before he made his way to Art Room 1. Lost a lot of friends. Eight students were killed. Two teachers were killed. It’s just really been negative, man. Santa Fe’s really had a bad rap here since 2018.”

Wow.

Luke attempted to praise Trey’s “perfect voice,” telling him he “sang from the right spot,” but Katy couldn’t contain her overwhelming emotions of grief as she dropped her head into her hands and wept at Trey’s sobering story. She eventually looked up at the young contestant and asserted:

“Our country has f**king failed us!”

Trey quickly responded, “facts,” before Katy added:

“This is not okay. You should be singing here because you love music, not because you had to go through that [expletive]. You didn’t have to lose eight friends. I hope that you remind people that we have to change.”

Fellow judge Lionel Richie then added:

“We have tolerated this for so long. Too long — it’s become a norm”

All three judges then unanimously welcomed Trey to Hollywood, urging him to continue to “lead.” See the full moment (below):

Following the episode’s premiere, Luke took to Twitter to write:

“Trey, man you have the perfect voice. You sing from the heart and we are really blessed you came to us. No child should have to live through what you did. Thank you for sharing your positivity with us and the world. #AmericanIdol.”

Katy also shared the performance, adding a broken heart emoji.

See (below):

Trey, man you have the perfect voice. You sing from the heart and we are really blessed you came to us. No child should have to live through what you did. Thank you for sharing your positivity with us and the world. #AmericanIdol

— Luke Bryan (@lukebryan) February 27, 2023