American Idol returned Sunday night, and it’s a big one — Katy Perry‘s last first episode ever after announcing she was leaving the show. And she’s making the most of it!
The Firework singer gave us an all-timer moment on the premiere when she reacted to the emotional story and beautiful singing of contestant McKenna Breinholt. The 25-year-old revealed she was adopted and had started looking for her birth parents just four years ago. Sadly she learned her mother had passed away — but as fate would have it, she had been a musician, too!
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After performing a Dolly Parton cover, McKenna mentioned how her mom had even written original songs, and she was learning them. So Katy asked her to play one, and she did — a precious little thing called Tumbleweed. She sounded so like her mother, her birth grandmother sobbed, saying it was “like a ghost” was on stage.
It was all too much for Katy, who lost it as well! See the performance and emotional moment (below)!
[Image via American Idol/YouTube.]